severely simple; "a stark interior"
Used in a Sentence
austere
How to use austere in a sentence. Example sentences and definitions for austere.
Editorial note
I can understand why you'd say poorly designed, because the tradition it comes out of is so austere.
Examples11
Definitions3
Parts of speech1
Quick take
severely simple; "a stark interior"
Meaning at a glance
The clearest senses and uses of austere gathered in one view.
of a stern or strict bearing or demeanor; forbidding in aspect; "an austere expression"; "a stern face"
practicing great self-denial; "Be systematically ascetic...do...something for no other reason than that you would rather not do it"- William James; "a desert nomad's austere life"; "a spartan diet"; "a spartan existence"
Definitions
Core meanings and parts of speech for austere.
adjective
severely simple; "a stark interior"
adjective
of a stern or strict bearing or demeanor; forbidding in aspect; "an austere expression"; "a stern face"
See also: stern
adjective
practicing great self-denial; "Be systematically ascetic...do...something for no other reason than that you would rather not do it"- William James; "a desert nomad's austere life"; "a spartan diet"; "a spartan existence"
Example sentences
I can understand why you'd say poorly designed, because the tradition it comes out of is so austere.
I love how so many of the most distinguished names in computer science have absolutely austere websites.
Vipassana is a pretty austere form of meditation.
Living like an austere hermit isn't the way to do that in NYC, where so much of the scene revolves around putting expensive things in your mouth in front of other people.
IOS and Mac OS both have a penchant for faux-realism and pastiche which always seems strangely incongruous with the austere industrial design.
A whimsical yet austere post, heavy on the bombast but with hints of compassion and, for the discerning reader, notes of plaintive wishfulness, with a bitter yet wholesome finish.
Another explanation for color choices - the austere Jobs is no longer at the helm, it's Tim Cook, and Tim clearly wants to steer Apple into the fashion market - he recently hired many top execs from fashionable brands.
From a Time Magazine story from 2007: The iPhone is a typical piece of Ive design: an\n austere, abstract, platonic-looking form that\n somehow also manages to feel warm and organic and\n ergonomic.
Operators with experience working under austere conditions could provide a lot of value to an organization with a comparatively limited budget.
It is literally just what I wanted from a Linux distro: the dead simplicity and austere Unix-ness of Slackware combined with the up-to-the-minute-ness and easy source package integration of Gentoo.
*“Mathematics, rightly viewed, possesses not only truth, but supreme beauty—a beauty cold and austere, like that of sculpture, without appeal to any part of our weaker nature, without the gorgeous trappings of painting or music, yet sublimely pure, and capable of a stern perfection such as only the greatest art can show.” -Bertrand Russell
Frequently asked questions
Short answers drawn from the clearest meanings and examples for this word.
How do you use austere in a sentence?
I can understand why you'd say poorly designed, because the tradition it comes out of is so austere.
What does austere mean?
severely simple; "a stark interior"
What part of speech is austere?
austere is commonly used as adjective.