verb
refrain, forbear, renounce, desist, forgo, withhold, avoid, stop, deny oneself, hold aloof from, keep aloof from, eschew, refuse, decline, spare, hold back, shun, evade, cease, dispense with, do without, go without, fast, starve oneself, teetotal, not touch, have nothing to do with, let alone, let well enough alone, do nothing,
keep from, keep one's hands off, stay one's hand, withhold oneself from, restrain oneself, exercise self-restraint,
turn aside from, abjure, swear off*, lay off*, pass up*, turn over a new leaf*, have no hand in*, take the pledge*, get on the water
wagon*, (just) say no*.
Antonyms indulge, join*, gorge.
abstain implies voluntary self-denial or the deliberate giving up of something to abstain from alcohol; refrain usually suggests the curbing of a passing impulse in keeping oneself from saying or doing something although provoked, she refrained from answering; forbear suggests self-restraint manifesting a patient endurance under provocation to forbear venting one's wrath
