refraining
Choosing not to
Refraining is holding back from doing something, typically something you might want or be tempted to do: She's refraining from commenting until she has all the facts.
The word implies deliberate restraint rather than simple inaction—you refrain from what you could do but choose not to.
Preventing forward movement
- curbingLimiting or restraining
- suppressingForcibly restraining or inhibiting
- containingHolding within limits
- withholdingKeeping from another
biting tongue · resisting · inhibiting · constraining · limiting · curtailing · pulling back · pausing
Deliberate food avoidance
- celibacyAbstaining from intimate relations
- teetotalismTotal sobriety as principle
- sobrietyUnimpaired mental state
- chastityAbstaining from sexual activity
continence · nondrinking · nonindulgence · renunciation · self-denial · avoidance · nonparticipation · asceticism
Ceasing to continue
- desistingStopping a course of action
- discontinuingEnding ongoing activity
- ceasingComing to an end
- haltingMarked by hesitation
suspending · pausing · moratorium · abeyance · deferment · postponement · quitting · laying off
Mental strength resisting impulse
- disciplineTrained self-control or specialty
- self-disciplineRegulating one's own behavior
- resolveFirmness of purpose
- fortitudeEnduring courage under pain
patience · endurance · perseverance · steadfastness · moderation · mindfulness · temperance · self-mastery
Moral goodness or merit
- ethicsStudy of right conduct
- principlesFoundational moral beliefs
- moralityRight and wrong principles
- proprietyCorrectness of conduct
rectitude · righteousness · decency · integrity · honor · duty · conscience · scruples
holding back
Preventing forward movement
- curbingLimiting or restraining
- suppressingForcibly restraining or inhibiting
- containingHolding within limits
withholding · biting tongue · resisting · inhibiting · constraining · limiting · curtailing · pulling back · pausing · hesitating
fasting
Deliberate food avoidance
- celibacyAbstaining from intimate relations
- teetotalismTotal sobriety as principle
- sobrietyUnimpaired mental state
chastity · continence · nondrinking · nonindulgence · renunciation · self-denial · avoidance · nonparticipation · asceticism · puritanism
stopping
Ceasing to continue
- desistingStopping a course of action
- discontinuingEnding ongoing activity
- ceasingComing to an end
halting · suspending · pausing · moratorium · abeyance · deferment · postponement · quitting · laying off · standing down
willpower
Mental strength resisting impulse
- disciplineTrained self-control or specialty
- self-disciplineRegulating one's own behavior
- resolveFirmness of purpose
fortitude · patience · endurance · perseverance · steadfastness · moderation · mindfulness · temperance · self-mastery · self-regulation
virtue
Moral goodness or merit
- ethicsStudy of right conduct
- principlesFoundational moral beliefs
- moralityRight and wrong principles
propriety · rectitude · righteousness · decency · integrity · honor · duty · conscience · scruples · standards
- self-controlself-control, willpower, composure, moderation, temperance
- cutting outtrimming, clipping, cropping, pruning, snipping
- Sitting Outbenched, sidelined, on the bench, on the sidelines, sitting idle
refrainingacting
Temporarily holding position
doing · engaging · proceeding · participating · undertaking
refrainingindulging
Satisfying a craving
yielding · succumbing · giving in · partaking · gratifying
refrainingpersisting
Continuing through difficulty
continuing · persevering · carrying on · keeping on · maintaining
restraint, refrain, frenetic, restraining, unrestrained, restraints, refrains, refrained, restrainer