Definitions
- Referring to the act of voluntarily avoiding or not indulging in something, usually related to food, drink, or other physical pleasures. - Describing the practice of deliberately avoiding or refraining from engaging in certain behaviors or activities, often for moral or religious reasons. - Talking about the act of holding back or restraining oneself from doing something that may be harmful or detrimental.
- Describing the act of holding back or restraining oneself from doing something, often due to external pressure or influence. - Referring to the practice of avoiding or abstaining from certain behaviors or actions, often for practical or strategic reasons. - Talking about the act of stopping oneself from doing something that may be inappropriate or offensive.
List of Similarities
- 1Both words involve the act of holding back or restraining oneself from doing something.
- 2Both words can be used to describe voluntary or deliberate actions.
- 3Both words are often used in the context of self-control or discipline.
- 4Both words can be used to describe avoiding or abstaining from certain behaviors or actions.
What is the difference?
- 1Motivation: Abstaining is often motivated by personal choice or conviction, while refraining may be motivated by external factors or social pressure.
- 2Scope: Abstaining is often used in the context of avoiding physical pleasures or indulgences, while refraining can be used more broadly to describe avoiding any behavior or action.
- 3Connotation: Abstaining is often associated with a positive or virtuous connotation, while refraining may have a more neutral or negative connotation.
- 4Intensity: Abstaining implies a complete avoidance or abstinence from something, while refraining may imply a temporary or partial restraint.
- 5Usage: Abstaining is more commonly used in formal or serious contexts, while refraining is more versatile and can be used in both formal and informal contexts.
Remember this!
Abstaining and refraining are synonyms that both describe the act of holding back or restraining oneself from doing something. However, abstaining is often used in the context of avoiding physical pleasures or indulgences, while refraining can be used more broadly to describe avoiding any behavior or action. Additionally, abstaining is often motivated by personal choice or conviction, while refraining may be motivated by external factors or social pressure.
