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# austerity

noun (austerity, austerities)

«austerity» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. (formal) A time when a government cuts spending sharply and people have less money and fewer services. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/austerity/#m1)
2. A plain, simple way of living without comforts or luxury: the austerity of a monk's life. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/austerity/#m2)
3. Strictness or seriousness in how someone looks or acts. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/austerity/#m3)

### In the lessons

Mostly a news, history and economics word: "austerity" describes cuts to public spending; in history it describes rationing years after a war. In stories it describes a plain, bare room or a stern person. Phrases: austerity measures, a time of austerity, live in austerity.

### Examples

- The government announced austerity measures to save money. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/austerity/#x1)
- During the years of austerity, the library opened only three days a week. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/austerity/#x2)
- After the war people lived with austerity and rationing. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/austerity/#x3)
- The monks lived a life of austerity, with plain food and no luxuries. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/austerity/#x4)
- The bare room had a cold austerity. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/austerity/#x5)
- The austerity of her face made the children quiet. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/austerity/#x6)

### Note

Mostly uncountable. Adjective: austere (plain, strict). Formal word; everyday talk says "cuts" or "tight budget". Say aw-STER-i-tee.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «austerity» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/austerity/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«austerity» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/austerity.html) on Mova free.