abstains

Abstains is the third-person singular present tense of the verb abstain, meaning to refrain from participating in an action or from engaging in a behavior. It can describe choosing not to do something that one could do or to withhold involvement in a particular activity. The term is commonly used in contexts such as voting, consumption, or participation.

In voting, abstaining means that a person does not vote either for or against a proposal. An abstention is recorded separately from affirmative or negative votes and can affect the outcome, especially in close decisions or where a quorum is required. In some systems, abstentions are treated as non-votes for purposes of majority calculations.

In everyday use, abstains may refer to refraining from activities such as eating certain foods, drinking alcohol, using tobacco, or engaging in sexual activity. Religious, health, or personal choice reasons often motivate such abstention. Medical or legal contexts may require abstaining from activities or substances before tests, procedures, or trials.

Etymology traces abstain to Latin abstinere, meaning to hold back. Related terms include abstinence (the act or practice of refraining) and abstainer (one who abstains). In grammar, abstains is followed by from plus a gerund or noun, as in “She abstains from smoking.” The concept centers on voluntary restraint rather than coercion.