# refrain vs regain

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### refrain
*verb · IPA /ɹɪˈfɹeɪn/ · frequency rank #12,486*
To hold back, to restrain (someone or something).

### regain
*verb · IPA /ɹiːˈɡeɪn/ · frequency rank #10,751*
To get back; to recover possession of.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/refrain-vs-regain