austere

What does “austere” mean?

adjective.severe or strict in manner, attitude, or appearance.

SAT Usage

The term often appears in contexts related to lifestyle, architecture, or character descriptions, emphasizing a lack of adornment or luxury. It implies a sense of discipline or seriousness, often contrasting with extravagance or indulgence, and differs from words like "ascetic," which specifically refers to a lifestyle of self-denial for spiritual reasons.

Common Confusions

Austere implies strictness or severity in appearance or manner, while ascetic usually suggests a lifestyle characterized by self-denial and renunciation of physical pleasures for spiritual reasons.

Example Sentences

• The austere office had bare walls and a single wooden desk.

• The headmistress was an austere old woman.

• The austere monastery had no decorations and minimal furniture.

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