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refrained

  • past participle
    of refrain.
    refrain
    verb (used without object)
    to abstain from an impulse to say or do something (often followed byfrom ).
  • past tense form
    of refrain.
    refrain
    verb (used without object)
    to abstain from an impulse to say or do something (often followed byfrom ).

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Warsh has vowed to cut down on providing insights into Fed policy positions, and on Friday again refrained from sharing his view of what may transpire at the October gathering.

From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026

While Kennedy has refrained from commenting on the current court or President Trump, he has written a memoir that tells his life story and explains the reasoning behind the major decisions of his era.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 2026

The euro fell against the dollar after the ECB left interest rates unchanged, as expected, but refrained from any hints about further rate rises.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026

Laura Ingraham and Jesse Watters chose not to preview or promote the speech in the two prime hours leading up to it, and Ingraham refrained from mentioning it on her Friday, Monday and Tuesday broadcasts.

From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2026

"When I made my report two days ago," he continued, "I deliberately refrained from mentioning that we have the remains of the plane—and we also have the pilot, who is quite alive and kicking!"

From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau