English · Word Candidate

refrain

/ɹɪˈfɹeɪn/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: refrains · refraining · refrained

Sense 1

Meaning · English

To stop oneself from some action or interference; to abstain; to eschew

Verb

Examples

Refrain from these men, and let them alone.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

The chorus or burden of a song repeated at the end of each verse or stanza.

Noun

Examples

For perhaps as much as thirty seconds they kept it up. It was a refrain that was often heard in moments of overwhelming emotion. Partly it was a sort of hymn to the wisdom and majesty of Big Brother, but still more it was an act of self-hypnosis, a deliberate drowning of consciousness by means of rh

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Meaning · English

A much repeated comment, complaint, or saying.

Noun

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “refrain” mean?

To stop oneself from some action or interference; to abstain; to eschew

Is “refrain” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.