- austere quality; severity of manner, life, etc.; sternness.
- ascetic practices: austerities of monastery life.
- harsh economic policies, as increased taxes or decreased funding for social services, usually adopted in response to government debt or deficits (often used attributively): Economic growth slowed under austerity.The legislature tried to reduce the budget deficit with austerity measures that raised the retirement age and cut pension benefits.
- the state or quality of being austere
- an austere habit, practice, or act
- reduced availability of luxuries and consumer goods, esp when brought about by government policy
- (as modifier)
