Quick Definition
Austere (adjective) describes someone who is severe or strict in manner, or something that is plain and simple, without comfort, luxury, or decoration. It can also describe a harsh policy of spending cuts.
Example: "The monks lived in austere surroundings with no heating."
What Does Austere Mean?
The word austere comes, through French, from the Greek austeros, meaning "harsh" or "bitter" — originally used of a sharp, dry taste. That sense of harshness carries through into all its modern meanings: an austere thing is hard, plain, and unsoftened by comfort.
In modern English, austere has two main senses. Applied to people, it means severe, stern, and forbidding in manner: an austere headmaster rarely smiles. Applied to places, designs, or ways of living, it means plain, bare, and without luxury: an austere room has bare walls and no ornament. It is also widely used in economics, where "austerity" means a harsh policy of cutting public spending.
Key point: austere is usually negative or neutral, but it can be admiring. "Austere beauty" and "austere elegance" praise something for being clean, simple, and free of clutter. Context decides whether it sounds grim or tastefully restrained.
Example Sentences
| Sentence | Level / Note |
|---|---|
| The headmaster was an austere man who rarely smiled. | B2 — description / neutral register |
| They lived an austere life with few possessions and little money. | B2 — narrative / neutral register |
| The chapel's austere interior had bare stone walls and plain wooden benches. | C1 — descriptive / literary register |
| The government introduced austere measures to cut the deficit. | C1 — economics / formal register |
| There was an austere beauty to the windswept, treeless moor. | C1 — literary / formal register |
Word Family
Adjective
austere
"An austere room."
Noun
austerity
"Years of austerity."
Adverb
austerely
"Austerely furnished."
No verb form
—
Noun plural: "austerities".
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
- severe — strict and harsh
- stern — firm and forbidding
- spartan — very plain and simple
- bare — without decoration
- frugal — sparing and economical
Antonyms
- luxurious — rich and comfortable
- lavish — grand and extravagant
- ornate — richly decorated
- genial — warm and friendly
- indulgent — allowing comfort and pleasure
Common Collocations
- an austere man — "He was a quiet, austere man."
- an austere expression — "She fixed him with an austere expression."
- an austere interior — "The hall had an austere interior."
- an austere lifestyle — "They chose an austere lifestyle."
- austere measures — "The budget imposed austere measures."
- austere beauty — "The desert has an austere beauty."
Related Words
Practise This Word
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Frequently Asked Questions about “austere”
What does austere mean in English?
Austere has two main senses. First, severe or strict in appearance or manner: 'a tall, austere man with a cold stare.' Second, plain and simple, without comfort, luxury, or decoration: 'an austere room with bare walls.' It can also describe a harsh policy of spending cuts. The word is formal and usually carries a serious, slightly grim tone.
How do you pronounce austere?
Austere is pronounced /ɔːˈstɪə/ in British English. It has two syllables: aw-STEER. The main stress falls on the second syllable: STEER. The first syllable is a short 'aw' sound as in 'awe', and the second rhymes with 'steer' or 'near'. Say it slowly: aw... STEER.
What is the CEFR level of austere?
Austere is a C1 (Advanced) level word. It appears mainly in descriptive writing, journalism, history, and economics, where speakers describe stern people, plain places, or harsh financial policies. C1 learners are expected to use precise words like austere instead of only basic words such as 'strict', 'plain', or 'simple'.
What are synonyms for austere?
Synonyms for austere include: severe (strict and harsh), stern (firm and forbidding), spartan (very plain and simple), bare (without decoration), and frugal (sparing and economical). When describing a plain, unadorned place, 'austere', 'spartan', and 'bare' are the closest matches; for a strict person, 'stern' and 'severe' fit best.
What are antonyms of austere?
Antonyms of austere include: luxurious (rich and comfortable), lavish (grand and extravagant), ornate (richly decorated), genial (warm and friendly), and indulgent (allowing comfort and pleasure). You might contrast: 'They swapped their austere flat for a lavish country house.'
What is the noun form of austere?
The noun form is austerity (/ɔːˈsterɪti/): 'The country endured years of austerity after the war.' Austerity means sternness of manner or, very commonly in economics, a policy of harsh public spending cuts. The adverb is austerely: 'The hall was austerely furnished with a single table.' There is no verb form.
What are common collocations with austere?
Common collocations with austere include: an austere man, an austere expression, an austere room, an austere interior, an austere lifestyle, austere measures, and austere beauty. The phrase 'austere beauty' is a striking one, used when something plain and bare is nonetheless beautiful, such as a windswept moor.
Is austere positive, negative, or neutral?
Austere is usually negative or neutral, suggesting harshness, coldness, or a lack of comfort. However, it can be positive when used to praise clean, simple design or disciplined, unselfish living — 'austere elegance' admires plainness. Context decides: an austere person sounds forbidding, but an austere room can sound tastefully minimal.
What is the difference between austere and strict?
Both suggest severity, but austere is broader and more formal. Strict mainly means firm about rules and discipline: 'a strict teacher.' Austere can mean strict in manner, but it also describes things that are plain and bare — rooms, designs, lifestyles — and harsh economic policy. A teacher is strict; a monastery is austere; an expression can be both.
How can I practise the word austere on LexFizz?
Use LexFizz's Flash Cards to practise austere alongside related C1 adjectives like severe and spartan. The Vocabulary Quiz presents austere in sentence context so you learn its two senses — a stern person and a plain place — and the Wordsearch helps you fix the spelling, which begins 'au' like 'autumn'. Try writing two sentences: one describing an austere room and one about an austere lifestyle.