1
abstain from sth/doing sth
表示戒除或避免做某事。
He abstains from alcohol for health reasons.
他因健康原因戒酒。
弃权；不投票
先理解核心含义，再看它在真实句子里的用法。
弃权；不投票
to choose not to vote in an election or meeting
He abstains from alcohol for health reasons.
他因健康原因戒酒。
戒除(某事或做某事)；尤其是戒除嗜好
Refrain from (something or doing something); keep from doing, especially an indulgence.
故意不投票
Deliberately refrain from casting one's vote at a meeting where one is present.
abstain
Base
原形
abstains
3rd person
第三人称单数
abstaining
-ing
现在分词
abstained
Past
过去式
abstained
Past participle
过去分词
I abstain from voting.
我弃权不投票。
He abstained during the vote.
他在投票中弃权了。
They are abstaining from alcohol.
他们正在戒酒。
She has abstained for a month.
她已经戒了一个月。
规则动词
Several members chose to abstain from the vote on the new policy.
几位成员选择在新政策的投票中弃权。
She abstained in the final ballot because she felt she had not seen enough evidence.
她在最后一轮投票中弃权，因为她觉得自己没有看到足够的证据。
I would rather abstain than vote for either candidate.
我宁愿弃权，也不会投票支持任何一位候选人。
表示戒除或避免做某事。
He abstains from alcohol for health reasons.
他因健康原因戒酒。
常用于投票情境。
Several members abstained from voting on the resolution.
几位成员对该决议投了弃权票。
不带宾语，单独使用表示弃权或不参与。
Out of principle, she chose to abstain.
出于原则，她选择了弃权。
Not this
He abstained smoking.
Use this
He abstained from smoking.
abstain 是不及物动词，后接宾语时必须先加介词 from，不能直接跟名词或动名词。
Not this
She abstained from to vote.
Use this
She abstained from voting.
abstain from 后应接名词或动名词，不能接不定式。
Focus on the distinctions below. Other candidates are kept compact until a reliable usage note is available.
戒酒；不喝酒
He decided to abstain from alcohol for a month.
他决定戒酒一个月。
投弃权票；放弃投票
Three members abstained from voting on the resolution.
三名成员对该决议投了弃权票。
戒烟；不吸烟
She has abstained from smoking since her surgery.
她手术后一直不吸烟。
不吃肉；戒食肉类
Many monks abstain from eating meat.
许多僧人戒食肉类。
禁欲；节制性行为
The study asked participants to abstain from sex for two weeks.
该研究要求参与者禁欲两周。
出自《圣经·帖撒罗尼迦前书》5:22（钦定版），意为“禁戒一切邪恶的样子”，常被引用为处世警句。
Many people choose to abstain from alcohol for health reasons.
许多人为了健康而选择戒酒。
出自《圣经·彼得前书》2:11，意为“要克制肉体的私欲，因为这些私欲与灵魂争战”，常用来劝人自律。
He decided to abstain from voting because he was not convinced by either candidate.
他决定投弃权票，因为他对两位候选人都不认可。
Use abstain naturally, then get feedback on meaning, tone, grammar, and phrasing.
Revisit a common error or keep this word in your review list.
把“stain（污点）”看作诱惑，加“ab-（离开）”：远离污点，即戒除、弃权。
语域：formal 常见场景：voting/procedures、diet and lifestyle、formal writing abstain 多用于正式场合或书面语。在会议或投票中表示“弃权”；在饮食或生活习惯上表示“戒除、节制”。日常口语中较少见，常见于正式讨论、法律或健康话题。
All listed words rhyme with the stressed /teɪn/ or /steɪn/ ending of abstain. Beware lookalikes that do not rhyme, such as 'captain' (/ˈkæptɪn/), 'mountain' (/ˈmaʊntən/), and 'certain' (/ˈsɜːrtən/).
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.