Abstain vs Refrain: What’s the Difference?
The difference at a glance
Refrain means simply not doing something — you refrain from commenting, from interrupting, from swearing. Abstain carries a stronger sense of deliberate, principled restraint: a conscious choice based on discipline, ethics, or formal procedure. You abstain from alcohol during a dry month; you abstain in a vote to avoid taking a position. Refrain is the everyday verb of not-doing; abstain implies that the choice itself has significance.
Example sentences are illustrative learning examples, not verified quotations.
What does Abstain mean?
verb · /əbˈsteɪn/
To restrain oneself from doing or indulging in something, especially something enjoyable or habitual; to formally decline to vote or participate.
Explore AbstainAbstain in a sentence
She chose to abstain from alcohol for the month of January.
Three members of the committee abstained from the vote, citing a conflict of interest.
What does Refrain mean?
noun / verb · /rɪˈfreɪn/
As a noun: a repeated line, phrase, or group of lines in a poem or song, typically at the end of each verse. As a verb: to stop oneself from doing something. The dual meaning is beautiful — repetition and restraint sharing one word.
Explore RefrainRefrain in a sentence
The song's refrain — four words, simple and inevitable — became an anthem for a generation.
She refrained from saying what she actually thought, and regretted it for years.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Abstain and Refrain?
Refrain means simply not doing something — you refrain from commenting, from interrupting, from swearing. Abstain carries a stronger sense of deliberate, principled restraint: a conscious choice based on discipline, ethics, or formal procedure. You abstain from alcohol during a dry month; you abstain in a vote to avoid taking a position. Refrain is the everyday verb of not-doing; abstain implies that the choice itself has significance.
What does Abstain mean?
To restrain oneself from doing or indulging in something, especially something enjoyable or habitual; to formally decline to vote or participate.
What does Refrain mean?
As a noun: a repeated line, phrase, or group of lines in a poem or song, typically at the end of each verse. As a verb: to stop oneself from doing something. The dual meaning is beautiful — repetition and restraint sharing one word.