Quick answer: If your crossword clue involves refraining from voting, drinking, or indulging, the answer is abstain. If the clue involves stopping or ceasing an action (often in legal contexts like “cease and desist”), the answer is desist.
These two words frequently appear in crosswords because they’re similar in length, share Latin roots, and both relate to stopping or refraining from something. But they’re not interchangeable, and using the wrong one will leave you stuck on that puzzle. I’ve been editing manuscripts and solving crosswords for over fifteen years, and I see solvers mix these up constantly. Let’s clear up the confusion once and for all.
| Term | Meaning / When to use | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Abstain | To voluntarily refrain from doing something, especially voting, drinking alcohol, or indulging in a pleasure; implies a conscious choice to hold back | “She chose to abstain from the vote because she had a conflict of interest.” |
| Desist | To stop or cease doing something, often used in formal or legal contexts; implies ending an action already in progress | “The court ordered the company to desist from using the trademarked logo.” |
When to use “abstain”
Use abstain when the crossword clue hints at voluntarily holding back from something, particularly in contexts involving voting, consumption, or self-denial. The word comes from the Latin abstinere, meaning “to hold back” or “keep away from.” According to Wikipedia’s entry on abstaining, the term is most commonly associated with refraining from voting or from consuming alcohol or other substances.
In crosswords, you’ll see “abstain” as the answer when clues include:
- “Refrain from voting”
- “Stay away from alcohol”
- “Hold back from indulging”
- “Choose not to participate”
The key is that abstaining is a choice you make before or instead of doing something. You’re opting out.
Real-world examples I’ve corrected:
Email mistake: A client wrote, “I will desist from voting on this matter due to my financial interest.” I changed it to “I will abstain from voting” because you abstain from voting, not desist from it.
Resume line: Someone listed, “Abstained from using company resources for personal projects.” While grammatically correct, this sounded odd. Better: “Refrained from using company resources” or simply didn’t mention it at all—abstain is rarely used in professional achievement contexts.
Text message: A friend texted, “I’m desisting from sugar for Lent.” I replied, “You mean abstaining!” because abstain is the word for giving something up voluntarily, especially for religious or health reasons.
When to use “desist”
Use desist when the crossword clue involves stopping an action that’s already happening, especially in formal, legal, or commanding contexts. This word almost always appears in the phrase “cease and desist,” which is a legal order to stop doing something. It comes from the Latin desistere, meaning “to stand off from” or “stop.”
In crosswords, “desist” appears when clues include:
- “Cease and ___”
- “Stop, in legal lingo”
- “Halt an action”
- “Command to stop”
The critical difference: desisting means you’re already doing something and need to stop. It’s reactive, not proactive like abstaining.
Crossword constructors love “desist” because it’s a four-syllable word with an unusual letter pattern (D-E-S-I-S-T) that helps fill tricky grid spots. It’s also frequently clued as part of the famous “cease and desist” phrase, which has entered popular culture through legal dramas and cease-and-desist letters sent to celebrities and internet users alike.
Real-world examples I’ve corrected:
Cover letter mistake: An applicant wrote, “I abstained from contacting competitors about proprietary information.” While not wrong, “abstained” sounds like they considered it and chose not to. Better: “I refrained from” or “I did not contact.” But if they had been contacting competitors and were told to stop, then “desisted from contacting” would work.
Legal document: I edited a cease-and-desist letter that originally said, “You must abstain from using our client’s images.” I changed it to “You must cease and desist from using our client’s images” because “abstain” suggests they haven’t started yet, when clearly they have.
Social media post: Someone posted, “I’m abstaining from posting about this drama.” Technically fine, but if they’d already been posting and decided to stop, “I’m desisting from posting” would be more accurate—though it sounds overly formal for social media. In casual contexts, “I’m stopping” or “I’m done posting” works better.
How to remember the difference
Here’s the memory trick I teach my editing students: Abstain starts with A, like “Avoid” or “Away.” You abstain to avoid doing something or stay away from it entirely. You’re keeping yourself at a distance before you even start.
Desist starts with DE, like “Depart” or “Desist from Doing.” You desist when you need to depart from an action you’re already doing. Think of the “DE” as meaning “de-activate” or “de-continue” something in progress.
Another way to remember: Abstain is about choice; desist is about compliance. You choose to abstain from wine at dinner. You comply with an order to desist from trespassing.
For crossword solvers specifically: if the clue mentions voting, alcohol, food, pleasure, or voluntary restraint, it’s almost certainly abstain. If the clue mentions legal action, stopping, halting, or includes the word “cease,” it’s definitely desist.
Common mistakes and exceptions
The most common mistake I see is using “desist” when someone means “desist from starting” something—which doesn’t make sense. You can’t desist from something you haven’t begun. For example, “I desisted from eating junk food” implies you were already eating it and stopped. If you never started, you “abstained from eating junk food.”
Another frequent error: using “abstain” in legal contexts where “desist” is required. A judge won’t order someone to “abstain from infringing the patent”—they’ll order them to “cease and desist.” Abstaining suggests the person hasn’t started infringing yet, which defeats the purpose of the legal order.
Regional differences: In British English, “abstain” is commonly used in parliamentary contexts (“The MP abstained from the vote”), while American English uses it the same way. However, “desist” appears more frequently in American legal writing than in British everyday usage, where “stop” or “cease” might be preferred in non-legal contexts.
Crossword-specific exceptions: Sometimes crossword clues play with words. A clue like “Refrain from stopping” could be a tricky way to clue “abstain” (refrain = abstain; from stopping = not desist). These wordplay clues are common in cryptic crosswords, a puzzle format explained in detail on Wikipedia’s Crossword page. Always check the crossing letters if you’re unsure.
One edge case: “Abstain” can occasionally mean “to moderate oneself,” not just completely avoid. For instance, “He abstained from excessive drinking” means he drank moderately, not that he stopped entirely. But in crosswords, the clue will usually make this distinction clear.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can “abstain” and “desist” ever be used interchangeably? No, they cannot. Abstain means to voluntarily refrain from starting or participating in something, while desist means to stop doing something already in progress. Using them interchangeably changes the meaning of your sentence and will confuse readers—or cost you points on a crossword.
Why do crosswords use these words so often? Both words are popular in crosswords because they’re the right length (7 and 6 letters respectively), contain common vowel-consonant patterns that help fill grids, and have clear, distinct meanings that make for fair clues. Crossword constructors also favor them because they’re familiar enough to be solvable but formal enough to feel satisfying when you get them right.
Is “desist” only used in “cease and desist”? While “cease and desist” is by far the most common usage, “desist” can appear alone in formal writing, meaning simply “to stop.” However, in modern English, it’s rare outside legal contexts. If you see “desist” solo in a crossword, the clue will likely indicate formal or legal language.
What’s the opposite of “abstain”? The opposite of abstain is “participate,” “indulge,” or “engage,” depending on context. If you abstain from voting, you participate. If you abstain from dessert, you indulge (or at least, you don’t abstain). The opposite of desist is “continue,” “persist,” or “proceed.”
Kimberly Sanchez holds a Bachelor’s degree in Linguistics from UCLA and has spent over a decade working as a language consultant and educator. Her journey in the world of words began with a curiosity about how language shapes our perception of the world. With a keen eye for detail and a knack for making complex concepts accessible, Kimberly specializes in the nuances of English word comparisons and their real-world implications. She joined WordCompareHub to share her insights on frequently confused words and to promote a deeper understanding of language accuracy. Kimberly writes content that is both enlightening and practical, aimed at readers who seek to enhance their communication skills. Outside of her professional pursuits, she is an avid reader and enjoys exploring multilingual environments to observe linguistic diversity in action.