From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishausterityaus‧ter‧i‧ty /ɔːˈsterəti, ɒ- $ ɒː-/ noun (plural austerities) 1 PEPOOR[countable usually plural, uncountable] bad economic conditions in which people do not have much money to spend a time of great austerity after the war the austerities of post-communist Eastern Europe2 [uncountable] when a government has a deliberate policy of trying to reduce the amount of money it spendsausterity programme/plan/package a tough new austerity programme IMF-backed austerity measures (=reductions in government spending)3 STRICTSIMPLE/PLAIN[uncountable] the quality of being austere a life of austerity
Examples from the Corpus
austerity• She renounced the role of tragic widow with an austerity that irritated her would-be saviours.• The fifth plenum announced austerity measures to tackle the worsening economic situation and called for stronger party leadership and unity.• Then, on top of the craziness and alleged corruption, populist Bucaram last month announced an economic austerity program.• Low inflation, competitive pressure and a continued focus on fiscal austerity depress projected raises, Hewitt says.• The government could afford a slight relaxation of its austerity.• Although the Benedictine rule imposed specific obligations upon each individual, it was rarely severe to the point of austerity.• Russians have faced years of austerity after communism's fall.• I at once sensed the physical austerity and the quality of social and intellectual superiority characteristic of the best public schools.• This has the effect of rounding the contours and losing some of the austerity of the unadorned triads.austerity measures• The report demonstrated that the 1980s austerity measures had disproportionately affected blue collar workers in comparison with white collar workers.• The fifth plenum announced austerity measures to tackle the worsening economic situation and called for stronger party leadership and unity.• Various international bodies warned of the need to impose radical austerity measures without delay if adverse trends were to be reversed.• Once she took office Ellie instituted stringent austerity measures.• The hard men at the finance ministry have promised to review the austerity measures at the end of this month.• The austerity measures affected primarily spending on health, social welfare, defence and overseas development assistance.• The austerity measures included a freeze on civil service appointments, pay and promotions.From Longman Business Dictionaryausterityaus‧ter‧i‧ty /ɔːˈsterəti, ɒ-ɒː-/ noun [uncountable] ECONOMICSbad economic conditions in which people do not have much money to spendher childhood memories of war-time austerity 