# refrain vs retain

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

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

### retain
*verb · IPA /ɹɪˈteɪn/ · frequency rank #5,541*
Often followed by from: to hold back (someone or something); to check, to prevent, to restrain, to stop.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-09-03.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/refrain-vs-retain