Master confusing words with ease
Refrain vs. Restrain
Refrain
/rɪˈfreɪn/Examples:
The kids learned to refrain from interrupting in class.Please refrain from using mobile phones during the movie.He tried to refrain from making sarcastic remarks.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
Restrain
/rɪˈstreɪn/Examples:
She had to restrain herself from laughing during the meeting.The dog was restrained with a sturdy leash to prevent it from running.He attempted to restrain his anger but could not succeed.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
Ways to tell them apart:
- Refrain often involves holding back from doing something voluntarily, like singing at a concert though you want to sing along.
- Restrain involves controlling or limiting someone or something else's actions, often with a sense of physical or imposed limitation.
- Think of restraint as a restriction imposed, while refrain is a voluntary act of self-control.
- Refrain relates to repetition in music or poetry, but restrain is more about control.
- Refrain is something you choose; restrain is something done to you or by you to something else.
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