refrain

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

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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 Like a rondo, the refrain of family alternates with the contrasting themes, ultimately building to its chilling coda. Kevin Dickinson, Big Think, 8 Aug. 2025 Some songs are two verses, some songs are straight through, but there’s still a refrain and a chorus. Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 6 Aug. 2025 The refrain was thought at the time to be an unusually strident attack on an opponent. Miriam Waldvogel, The Hill, 21 July 2025 Starting with a muffled guitar refrain, the sound gradually builds intensity, clearly expressing the soaring emotions. Billboard Japan, Billboard, 3 Sep. 2019 See All Example Sentences for refrain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for refrain
chorus
Noun
  • While performance is a major part of their lives individually—Tracey becoming a chorus line dancer, the narrator becoming an assistant to a pop star—a performance element that is particularly striking here is the way Smith traces dance from past to present, from Africa through the diaspora.
    Lauren Morrow September 9, Literary Hub, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Cook joined a number of other tech CEOs at a White House dinner this month, adding his voice to a chorus of praise for the president.
    Dade Hayes, Deadline, 9 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Refrain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/refrain. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.

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