refrain

rɪˈfreɪn

Definition

Conjugation

Definition of refrain - Reverso English Dictionary

Verb

intr.

restraintavoid doing something, often by self-control

She refrained from commenting during the meeting.

abstain

forbear

hold back

Noun

musicrepeated part of a song or poem

The refrain of the song was catchy and memorable.

chorus

repetition

conversationcomment or saying often repeated

His favorite refrain was 'practice makes perfect.'

chorus

echo

repetition

Add a suggestion |

Feedback:

Expressions with refrain

💡 Discover popular phrases, idioms, collocations, or phrasal verbs. Click any expression to learn more, listen to its pronunciation, or save it to your favorites.

constant refrain

statement or idea repeated many times by someone

The constant refrain was that change is needed.

Origin of refrain

Latin, re (again) + frenum (bridle)

Terms with refrain included in their meaning

💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.

resist

self-control

refrain from doing something despite temptation

spare

mercy

refrain from harming or punishing someone

go without

abstinence

refrain from having something

keep back

restraint

stay at a distance or refrain from approaching

keep out

avoid entry

refrain from entering a place or condition

keep quiet

silence

refrain from speaking or making noise

keep quiet

secrecy

refrain from talking about a secret

stand back

non-involvement

refrain from getting involved in a situation

Examples of refrain in a sentence

They refrained from voting until more information arrived.
Everyone sang along with the refrain.
The refrain repeated after each verse.
The refrain of 'safety first' echoed in the workshop.
'Quality over quantity' became the team's refrain.

View all translations of refrain

✨Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.

French:s'abstenir, refrain, ...
German:verzichten, Refrain, ...
Italian:astenersi, ritornello, ...
Spanish:abstenerse, estribillo, ...
Portuguese:abster-se, refrão, ...
Chinese:克制, 副歌, ...
Japanese:控える, リフレイン, ...
Arabic:اِمْتَنَعَ, لازِمَة, ...
Hebrew:לְהִימָּנַע, פִּזְמוֹן חוֹזֵר, ...
Russian:воздерживаться, припев, ...
Ukrainian:утримуватися, приспів, ...
Hindi:रोकना, मुखड़ा, ...
Bengali:বিরত থাকা, ধ্রুবপদ, ...
Catalan:reprimir-se, tornada, ...
Czech:zdržet se, refrén, ...
Danish:afholde sig fra, omkvæd, ...
Dutch:zich onthouden van, refrein, ...
Greek:απέχω, ρεφρέν, ...
Hungarian:tartózkodni, refrén, ...
Khmer:វៀរចាកពីការធ្វើ, បន្ទរ, ...
Korean:자제하다, 후렴구, ...
Persian:خودداری کردن, ترجیع‌بند, ...
Polish:powstrzymać się, refren, ...
Portuguese (BR):abster-se, refrão, ...
Romanian:a se abține, refren, ...
Swedish:avstå, refräng, ...
Thai:ละเว้น, ท่อนซ้ำ, ...
Turkish:kaçınmak, nakarat, ...
Vietnamese:kiềm chế, điệp khúc, ...

Browse the dictionary entries starting with “r”:

Discover how Reverso redefines the dictionary

Go beyond “simple words”

100,000 expressions & idioms Understand any expression you come across: from corporate jargon like 💬 touch base or ↩️ circle back to everyday expressions such as 🌊 out of the blue or 🦆 lame duck, as well as idioms like 🍲 spill the beans and 🐎 hold your horses.

40,000 images When you search for a concrete noun or object, images help you grasp the meaning at a glance. Try searching for 🧵 puppytooth, 🎠 merry-go-round, ⚜️ fleur-de-lys, or 💤 bunk bed.

Informal language & slang Everyday conversations are packed with informal expressions and slang. Meanings are clearly tagged, so you'll always know when a word is casual. Look up hangry (😋 hungry + 😡 angry), 😎 rizz, 🕹️ noob, or 🔑 low-key.

Abbreviations & acronyms Quickly decode modern abbreviations and acronyms. Go from IDK to OMG in seconds and stay up to date with popular abbreviations such as 🐐 GOAT, 📜 tl;dr, 👀 POV, or 🖥️ AFK.

Regional usage (US / UK) Reverso highlights regional differences between American and British English. You’ll never have to wonder where a word is commonly used: try lift vs. elevator, courgette vs. zucchini, or popular British slang like dodgy or banter. What’s more, when you search for 'color', you’ll immediately see its British counterpart, 'colour'.

Get more than a simple definition

Translations for each meaning View translations alongside each meaning to see how a word is translated in each context. Simply toggle translations ON and choose among 25+ languages. You can also display the translation of definitions or examples into your native language to deepen your understanding.

Synonyms & related words by meaning View synonyms and related words for each meaning, not just for the word as a whole. This helps you choose the most accurate word for your context. Click the

icon to discover related terms: analogies, antonyms, common collocates, words with same roots, umbrella terms… Try with happening or hunch.

Multiple examples for every meaning Each meaning comes with three real-life examples to show you how the word is used in different contexts. Click the

icon next to the first example to see two additional options and learn to use new vocabulary naturally.

Go from understanding to mastery

Save words for later review Click the

icon to save words you want to revisit. You can also save a specific meaning by clicking on the

icon next to it. For example, you might want to save the word “table” as a verb, which means “to postpone”.

Practice with personalized flashcards Reverso automatically transforms your searches and saved words into personalized flashcards and quizzes, featuring high-quality audio and usage examples. This helps you transform terms you only recognize into words you actually use confidently.

Learn with Netflix, YouTube, and your favorite texts With Reverso Chrome extension, transform movies, TV shows, articles, or song lyrics into an interactive lesson. Look up words and expressions in one click on any website and learn with your favorite content.