Is there any difference between 'abstain', 'refrain' and 'forbear'?

Abstain vs. Refrain vs. Forbear
Select the almost right word for the sentence:
Q. She decided to ................. (abstain/refrain/forbear) from alcohol.


All these three words mean the same thing that is to avoid or stop doing something. But the difference between them lies in their usage: they are used in different context.
Let us see the correct usage for these words in a context.

What is the meaning of Abstain?

Abstain comes from Latin "abstinere", from ab 'from' + tenere 'hold'. From its etymology, abstain means to go away from something that you used to hold.
1. The first meaning is to choose not to do something or to stay away from something because of its bad for your health or moral.
2. The second meaning is to choose not to use a vote. If you abstain from a vote, you do not use your vote.

Abstain in sentence:

1. If you want a healthy life, you should abstain from alcohol.
2. Many voters abstained from voting in the village because of corruptions.
3. The workers who abstained from work yesterday have been suspended.

What is the meaning of Refrain?

Refrain is a noun or verb. Refrain comes the Latin word "refrēnāre" is formed from the prefix re- "back" plus frēnāre "to hold a horse back with a bridle".
1. It means to stop yourself from doing something, especially something that you want to do.

As a noun, it has two very different meanings from others:
2. It means a comment or saying or complaint that people often repeat, like parent's constant refrain about high fees of school, wife's constant refrain that her husband doesn't love her.
3. It also means a phrase or verse or a part that is repeated regularly in a poem or a song.
Refrain in sentence:

1. Pyongyang refrained from such tests during a period of diplomacy with Washington. -Washington Times
2. Its refrain is adamant and humble: “I really am a lucky man.”    -The New Yorker
3. The poster says, 'please refrain from smoking in public.'

What is the meaning of Forbear?  

Forbear is a noun or verb. The word comes from Old English "forberan" from for and bear (verb). Bear means to deal with something unpleasant. 

• Forbear from something means to choose not to do something that you could do. If you forbear your favorite drink, then you be ready to bear an unpleasant condition for your mind.

• As a noun forbear means a person in your family who lived a long time ago.

Forbear in sentence:

1. He forbore to smoke.
2. Protesters largely forbore stone-throwing and vandalism.

Hey, there is one more word, Restrain.

What is the meaning of Restrain?

Restrain is a verb. It comes from the Latin word "restringere", from re 'back' and stringere 'to tie, pull tight': to back something or someone from an hold.
It means mainly three things:

1. to prevent a person or animal from doing something.
2. to prevent a person or animal from moving by using physical force
3. to keep something under control

Restrain in sentence:

1. The cat owner can't restrain the dog from attacking on the cat.
2. The manufacturer took measures to restrain costs.

Now, you have acquired the meaning of all the words, but it is still difficult to know the difference between these words.

What is the difference between abstain, refrain, restrain, and forbear?

Here is the answer:
Abstain is used when one refuses oneself from an action. In brief, it means self-indulgence:  "They abstained from drinking."

Refrain is used to mean withholding an action temporarily, or checking a momentary desire: "Father refrained from scolding his son until the guest left." 

Forbear is used to mean exercise self-control: "If you want to loss your fat, you must forbear from eating rice."

Restrain should be used when one stops others or oneself form doing something: "You restrain yourself from anger. You restrain someone from killing animals."

What are the verb forms of Abstain, Refrain, Restrain, and Forbear?

                                      Past simple           Past participle  
Abstain                         Abstained                         Abstained
Refrain                         Refrained                          Refrained
Restrain                        Restrained                        Restrained
Forbear                         Forbore                             Forborne

Words Combination-

The verb abstain takes preposition from: to abstain from (to abstain from drugs).
The verb refrain takes preposition from: to refrain from (to refrain from sex).
The verb forbear can be used as transitive and intransitive.
As an intransitive, the words combination is to forbear from.
As a transitive, the words combination is forbear to: The police forbore to ask any questions.
The words combination of verb restrain is restrain somebody/something from doing something. As a transitive the combination is restrain something.

What is the noun of Restrain?

The noun of restrain is restraint.

Questions Taken From Web:

What is the difference between refrain and abstain?

Refrain means to refuse to do something temporarily.
Abstain means to refuse to do something because it is bad for you, abstain from alcohol or drugs.

What is the past tense of forbear?

Past simple of Forbear is Forbore, and past participle is Forborne.

What does it mean to abstain from something?

Abstain from something means to choose not to do something or to stay away from something because of its bad for your health or moral.

What are antonyms for refrain?

bow (to), give in (to), submit (to), succumb (to), surrender (to), yield (to)

What is the difference between refrain and restrain?

Refrain is used to mean withholding an action temporarily, or checking a momentary desire.
Refrain is an intransitive verb. It doesn't need an object.
Restrain should be used when one stops other or oneself form doing something.
Restrain is a transitive verb: it needs an object.

What is abstain in voting?

Abstain means to choose not to use a vote. If you abstain from a vote, you do not use your vote.

Is refrain a figure of speech?

Yes, refrain is a figure of speech. In writing, a refrain is a short, simple part of a song, which is repeated many times.

What is a refrain in a song?

Refrain means a phrase or verse or a part that is repeated regularly in a poem or a song.

In a nutshell
Abstain is used when one refuse oneself from an action.
Refrain is used to mean withholding an action temporarily, or checking a momentary desire.
Forbear is used to exercise self-control.
Restrain should be used when one stops other or oneself form doing something.

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