What does fasting mean?
Fasting is the deliberate abstention from food — and sometimes drink — for a defined period, practised for religious devotion, spiritual discipline, health benefits, or medical necessity. It appears across nearly every major faith tradition, including Islam's Ramadan, Christianity's Lent, and Judaism's Yom Kippur, where it signifies humility, repentance, or heightened devotion. In modern secular usage, 'intermittent fasting' has become a prominent approach to diet and metabolic health, giving the word fresh everyday currency. Medicine relies on fasting too: patients are routinely asked to fast before blood tests or surgery to ensure accurate results and safe anaesthesia. The related term 'fasting' also appears in fixed phrases such as 'fasting blood glucose'. Derived from the Old English 'fæstan', the word carries connotations of self-restraint and purposeful denial, setting it apart from mere hunger or forced starvation. Understanding fasting illuminates both ancient ritual life and contemporary conversations about wellbeing.
The act or practice of abstaining from food, either wholly or in part, especially as a religious observance, health regimen, or medical requirement.
"Her fasting during Ramadan lasted from dawn to sunset each day for a month."
Often used attributively before another noun, as in 'fasting schedule' or 'fasting window'.
Present participle of the verb 'to fast': to abstain from all or some kinds of food, especially voluntarily and for a set period.
"Devotees were fasting in preparation for the festival."
As a participle it commonly appears in progressive constructions ('is fasting') and as a modifier, as in 'a fasting patient'.
The word 'breakfast' literally means breaking your fast — every morning meal quietly commemorates the night's fasting.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of fasting
Fasting derives from the Old English 'fæstan', the verbal noun of the verb 'to fast', which traces back to Proto-Germanic roots associated with holding firm or steadfast. This same Germanic root gave English the adjective 'fast' in its older sense of 'firmly fixed', surviving in words like 'steadfast' and 'fastness'. The compound 'breakfast' preserves the concept directly, naming the meal that breaks the overnight fast.
How fasting is actually used
'Fasting' functions chiefly as the verbal noun of the verb 'to fast'. In religious contexts it carries connotations of discipline and piety; in wellness contexts (notably 'intermittent fasting') it is neutral-to-positive and often discussed clinically. In medical settings, 'fasting' before tests is routine rather than ascetic.
Easily confused with fasting
Fasting means abstaining from food, while feasting means eating lavishly and abundantly — they are near-opposites that share a similar sound.