Basic Details
Word: Refrained
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: Stopped yourself from doing something you wanted to do. It is the past tense of refrain.
Synonyms: held back, abstained, avoided, stopped
Antonyms: indulged, continued
How to Spell Refrained
Syllables: re - frained
Tricky part: The long a sound is spelt ai. Students write refraned or swap in ei, and some double the n before ed.
Watch out for: refraned, refreined, refrainned
Memory tip: Rain sits inside refrained. Picture yourself holding back from a walk because of the rain: ref-RAIN-ed.
Usage Examples
Example 1: The audience refrained from clapping until the raga had ended.
Example 2: He refrained from eating sweets for the whole month before the match.
Example 3: Wisely, Kabir refrained from arguing with the referee.
Fun Fact
Refrain is also a noun for the lines repeated in a song or poem, and that sense comes from a different Old French word meaning to break off.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Fill in the missing letters to complete the word:
r_fr_i_ed
a) e, e, n
b) e, a, m
c) i, a, n
d) e, a, n
Show answer
d) e, a, n. Find the word rain in the middle and the rest falls into place: re, f, rain, ed.
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word refrained as used in the sentence:
The scientist refrained from giving an opinion before all the tests were complete.
a) hurried
b) insisted
c) rushed
d) abstained
Show answer
d) abstained. Refrained and abstained both mean held back from doing something.
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the letters in the sentence to form a meaningful word:
The frightened witness fnaierder from naming anyone in court.
a) refined
b) retrained
c) refrained
d) restrained
Show answer
c) refrained. Retrained and restrained need a t, and refined is too short; an f with two r's gives refrained.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which word completes the notice? Please ____ from using your phone in the library.
a) retrain
b) refrain
c) remain
d) restrain
Show answer
b) refrain
2. Someone who refrained from sweets during Navratri ____.
a) ate them every day
b) did not eat them
c) made them at home
d) gave them as gifts
Show answer
b) did not eat them
