Refrain
noun / verb /rɪˈfreɪn/ — A repeated section of a song; to hold oneself back from something.
Definition
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.
Beyond the definition
The refrain is the part you know before the song ends. The part you wait for, the part you sing along with. Music is forgiven its repetition because the refrain is what makes a song a home.
Origin & history
Old French: 'refraindre' (to break back). Latin: 'refringere' (to break off). The idea of a repeated musical line as 'breaking back' to a known place.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
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.
Life has its refrains: the same mistakes, the same comforts, the same questions returning.
How to use it
Follow this entry’s examples for grammatical form and sentence placement.
Choose “Refrain” when the meaning fits your context: 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.
Synonyms
chorus, burden, hook, repeated line
Antonyms
verse, variation, improvisation
Related words
Refrain vs chorus
A refrain is a line or phrase that recurs throughout a song or poem. A chorus is a full, harmonized section of music that repeats.
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Seasonal Tree Transformation
A deciduous tree features bare twigs, budding leaves, and fallen brown leaves beneath a circular sky.
The repetitive, cycling state of the tree serves as a visual refrain. Just as a phrase repeats in a song, these visual elements cycle through the seasons, emphasizing a return to a theme in nature's unfolding narrative.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Refrain" mean?
Refrain is noun / verb meaning: A repeated section of a song; to hold oneself back from something.. 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.
Where does the word "Refrain" come from?
Old French: 'refraindre' (to break back). Latin: 'refringere' (to break off). The idea of a repeated musical line as 'breaking back' to a known place.