severe in manner or appearance; uncompromising; strict; forbidding

an austere teacher.

rigorously self-disciplined and severely moral; ascetic; abstinent

the austere quality of life in the convent.

grave; sober; solemn; serious

an austere manner.

without excess, luxury, or ease; simple; limited; severe

an austere life.

severely simple; without ornament

austere writing.

lacking softness; hard

an austere bed of straw.

rough to the taste; sour or harsh in flavor.

adjective

bland , calm , gentle , meek , mild , elaborate , encouraging , extravagant , indulgent , spending , luxurious

adjective

ascetic , astringent , cold , earnest , exacting , forbidding , formal , grave , grim , hard , harsh , inexorable , inflexible , obdurate , rigid , rigorous , serious , sober , solemn , somber , stern , stiff , strict , stringent , unfeeling , unrelenting , abstemious , chaste , continent , economical , puritanical , self-denying , self-disciplined , straightlaced , subdued , bald , bare , bare-bones , bleak , clean , dour , plain , primitive , rustic , severe , simple , spare , spartan , stark , unadorned , unembellished , vanilla * , acrimonious , bitter , disciplined , extortionate , imperative , inquisitorial , procrustean , puritanic , relentless , rough , ruthless , sharp , uncompromising