refrain

noun

Definition of refrainnext
as in chorus
a part of a song or hymn that is repeated every so often I didn't know the verses of the song, so I only sang on the refrain

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of refrain Then last week, Meta joined the two companies, claiming that its Spark AI model had accessed the internet and hacked a third-party service — an already intimately familiar refrain. — Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 12 Aug. 2026 But a common refrain, for Hastings and others, is that developers aren’t adhering to the spirit of the comprehensive plan and could be mischaracterizing their intentions. — Rose Evans august 9, Idaho Statesman, 9 Aug. 2026 Throughout the campaign, Stevens argued that El-Sayed would not be able to defeat Rogers, a refrain some moderates repeated Wednesday. — Christopher Buchanan, Los Angeles Times, 5 Aug. 2026 And an extremely catchy German song has gone viral in part because its lyrical refrain sounds goofy to ears used to English. — Greg Myre, NPR, 4 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for refrain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for refrain
chorus
Noun
  • The swaggering track, which sees the artists joining voices on the chorus, will get an official music video later today.
    — Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Styles went on to play two verses and choruses of the song, originally released in 1974, and told the crowd to sing along on the first chorus.
    — Lars Brandle, Billboard, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of chorus

Phrases Containing refrain

Browse Nearby Words

refractory
refrain
refrained (from)
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Refrain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/refrain. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on refrain

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about refrain

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All