WordValerefrain
to stop oneself from doing something
a repeated line or section in a song
In more detail
1. (verb) to stop yourself from doing something, even though you want to
2. (noun) a repeated line or group of lines in a song or poem
Examples
- 1. She refrained from eating dessert because she was trying to lose weight.
- 2. The chorus of the song has a catchy refrain that everyone sings together.
How to use refrain
As a verb, refrain means to deliberately stop yourself from doing something you might want to do or are tempted to do, often implying self-discipline. It is more formal than 'avoid' and suggests active restraint rather than mere absence. As a noun, it refers to a repeated section in music or poetry that recurs throughout a composition.
Common phrases
- refrain from doing something
- refrain from comment
- refrain from eating
- hard to refrain
- please refrain from
Synonyms
abstain · forbear · desist · hold back · resist
Opposites
indulge · yield · succumb
Word family
refraining · refrained · refrain (noun)
A common mistake
Learners sometimes confuse refrain (to stop doing) with restrain (to physically hold back or limit), or they use refrain without the preposition 'from' when it requires it in the verb form.
Save this word in WordVale and it comes back for review right before you'd forget it — with pronunciation, real examples, and optional translations. One purchase, no subscription.
Get WordValeFREE 7-DAY TRIAL · iPHONE & iPAD