Word
refrain
Phoneticsre·frain, stress on the second syllable
US/ɹɪˈfɹeɪn/
UK/ɹɪfɹˈeɪn/
Definition
v. to stop yourself from doing something that you want to do.
v. to deliberately abstain from an impulse or action. Intransitive; almost always followed by the preposition 'from'.
Examples
“The crowd sang the catchy refrain along with the band.”
“The politician's speech was filled with the familiar refrain of lower taxes and better services.”
“While the verses of the ballad explore different historical events, the haunting refrain serves as a constant reminder of the underlying theme of loss and reconciliation.”
Examples
simple
“The crowd sang the catchy refrain along with the band.”
contextual
“The politician's speech was filled with the familiar refrain of lower taxes and better services.”
complex
“While the verses of the ballad explore different historical events, the haunting refrain serves as a constant reminder of the underlying theme of loss and reconciliation.”
Usage
Often used with the verb 'to sing' in a musical context or 'to hear' when referring to a repeated idea.
Real-World Examples
“Invest some time in creating a budget tracker that works for you – and refrain from offering to buy a round with money that you may need to pay the bills.” “One of his conditions is to refrain from communicating either directly or indirectly with the affected persons.” Etymology
From Middle English refreynen, from Anglo-Norman refrener, Old French refrener (from Latin refrenare), and influenced by Old French refraindre (from Latin refringere).
From French refrain, from the Old French verb refraindre (“to break off, repeat”), from Latin re- (“back, again”) + frangō (“break”); compare Occitan refranhs (“a refrain”), refranher (“to repeat”). See refract and the verb refrain.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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