refrains

plural of refrain
as in choruses
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 refrains One of the frequent refrains from the past few days is that Infantino has been trying to sell something that does not belong to him. Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 31 July 2026 But on The Blueprint, Kanye West, Just Blaze, and Bink made a habit of letting the singers from old R&B records wail away beneath Jay-Z’s verses, or croon refrains that Jay would talk back to and thread into his rhymes. Al Shipley, SPIN, 14 July 2026 Trump kicked off the Great American State Fair celebration Wednesday, June 24, with a speech that echoed several of his most familiar refrains, from lowering gas prices and criticizing former President Joe Biden to touting his border policies. Zac Anderson, USA Today, 25 June 2026 The Nashville approach prioritizes clear story lines and catchy refrains. Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 12 June 2026 Her refrains center the desires underpinning MAITREYA CORSO. Caitlin Wolper Phillips, Pitchfork, 4 May 2026 The most traditional poetic forms are repetitive, with strict rhyme schemes and meter, but newer interpretations are also built around repetition, relying on slant rhymes, refrains, alliteration, and more. Literary Hub, 7 Apr. 2026 To Mohyuddin, the refrains about Sharia law are familiar and ridiculous, but no less disturbing. Russell Berman, The Atlantic, 11 Mar. 2026 Both are common refrains, but at the time, Hall struggled to see past the fog clouding his future. Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 5 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for refrains
choruses
Noun
  • Full of big moments, rousing choruses, barstool sing-alongs, and even a few weepers, Stages is an album calibrated to the live experience.
    Stephen Deusner, SPIN, 3 Aug. 2026
  • There are no memorable choruses, hooky instrumentals passages, or spellbinding solos, all which have been a part of the band’s sonic identity, including on Life Is But a Dream… to an extent.
    Quentin Thane Singer, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026

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“Refrains.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/refrains. Accessed 10 Aug. 2026.

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