Antonyms for refrain
rɪˈfreɪnre·frain

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:4.0 / 2 votes

1. refrain

   Strains of music may gradually or suddenly cease. A man quits work on the instant; he may discontinue a practise gradually; he quits suddenly and completely; he stops short in what he may or may not resume; he pauses in what he will probably resume. What intermits or is intermitted returns again, as a fever that intermits. Compare ABANDON; DIE; END; REST.

   Antonyms:
   begin, commence, enter upon, inaugurate, initiate, institute, originate, set about, set going, set in operation, set on foot, start

   Synonyms:
   abstain, bring to an end, cease, come to an end, conclude, desist, discontinue, end, end, finish, give over, intermit, leave off, pause, quit, stop, terminate

   Preposition:
   Cease from anger.

Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:2.5 / 2 votes

1. refrain

   Antonyms:
   indulge, venture, continue, persist

   Synonyms:
   forbear, hold, abstain, keep, restrain, withhold, desist from

Princeton's WordNetRate these antonyms:4.3 / 4 votes

1. refrain, chorusverb

   the part of a song where a soloist is joined by a group of singers

   Antonyms:
   move, act

   Synonyms:
   chorus line, chorus

2. refrain, forbearverb

   resist doing something

   "He refrained from hitting him back"; "she could not forbear weeping"

   Antonyms:
   move, act

   Synonyms:
   desist, forbear, hold back, abstain

3. abstain, refrain, desistverb

   choose not to consume

   "I abstain from alcohol"

   Antonyms:
   act, move

   Synonyms:
   desist, forbear, abstain

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated WordsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. refrainverb

   Synonyms:
   restrain, curb, check, forbear, abstain, desist

How to use refrain in a sentence?

1. Ramana Pemmaraju:

   In the best interest of profession, a writer should sometimes refrain from writing.

2. Hideaki Honma:

   We wanted to refrain from attending while people who were looking forward to the event can not go now.

3. White House:

   The refrain that we hear frequently from Republicans is that the federal government merely enforce the law that's on the books, if that isn't just them bluffing or trying to distract from the actual issue, them they should surely support additional resources being dedicated to enforcing that law that is already on the books.

4. Ahmad Massoud:

   The National Resistance Front proposes that the Taliban stop its military operations in Panjshir Valley, Andarab, Parwan and Kapisa and withdraw its forces from Panjshir Valley and Andarab. In return, The National Resistance Front will direct The National Resistance Front forces to refrain from military action.

5. State Mike Pompeo:

   We call upon the actor in question to refrain from carrying out disruptive malicious cyber activity against the Czech Republic's healthcare system or similar infrastructure elsewhere.

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