refrain Definition and Meaning in English (refrain definition)

verb
Quick Answer • Definition

Refrain definition: To stop oneself from doing or saying something, especially something that one wants to do or say.

Definitions of Refrain

  1. 1verb

    To stop oneself from doing or saying something, especially something that one wants to do or say.

  2. 2noun

    A repeated line or set of lines in a poem or song, typically at the end of each stanza.

Example Sentences

formal

“Please refrain from smoking in this area.”

casual

“She could not refrain from smiling at his joke.”

casual

“The children sang the refrain with enthusiasm.”

Inflected Word Forms

past tenserefrained
present participlerefraining
pluralrefrains

Phrases & Idiomatic Expressions

refrain from doing somethingcollocation

To avoid doing a particular action or activity.

Frequently Asked Questions: Refrain in English

What is the meaning of Refrain in English?▼
Refrain definition: To stop oneself from doing or saying something, especially something that one wants to do or say.
How do you translate 'Refrain' to English?▼
'Refrain' translates to 'refrain' in English. Refrain definition: To stop oneself from doing or saying something, especially something that one wants to do or say.
How do you pronounce 'Refrain' and 'refrain'?▼
Listen to clear English audio pronunciation of 'Refrain' and native English audio speech for 'refrain' with bilingual sentence examples on DictBridge.

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