refraining from smoking

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "refraining from smoking" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts where someone is choosing not to smoke, often for health or personal reasons. Example: "As part of my commitment to a healthier lifestyle, I am refraining from smoking."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

15 human-written examples

Once, Frank was showing our apartment to potential new tenants so my roommate and I were refraining from smoking weed inside.

Vice

These included questions on the number of cigarettes smoked per day, time from awaking to the first cigarette, difficulty in refraining from smoking in places where smoking is forbidden, the number of cigarettes smoked during the morning compared with the number smoked during the rest of the day, cigarettes that could not be give up, and smoking for most of the day while ill in bed.

BMC Public Health

A key feature of our acute cigarette smoke challenge model involves fasting and refraining from smoking for 12 h before and 5 h after having a controlled cigarette smoke exposure.

BMJ Open

Little benefit, they said, was gained when parents took steps like refraining from smoking in the same room as the child or opening windows to air out the homes when they were smoking.

The New York Times - Health

These include keeping fit by doing regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, refraining from smoking and making sure you don't drink too much alcohol.

BBC

See your doctor regularly, and make sure you are eating a balanced and healthy diet while refraining from smoking and moderating the intake of alcohol and caffeine.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

45 human-written examples

Only one participant smoked (cigars), but this participant refrained from smoking on the mornings of the study.

Diabetologia

To avoid this stigma, some women refrained from smoking in public entirely, while others said they would only smoke in public if they were with other smoking women.

BMJ Open

In two laboratory sessions, dependent smokers refrained from smoking for 4 h.

Addictive Behaviors

After surgery all of them refrained from smoking.

BMC Pulmonary Medicine

Current smokers refrained from smoking for 1 hour before testing.

BioMed Research International

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing health recommendations or lifestyle changes, use "refraining from smoking" to clearly and directly advise against the habit.

Common error

Ensure you're using "refraining" to indicate voluntary abstinence, not "restraining" which implies preventing someone or something by force. For example, "refraining from smoking" shows a personal choice, while "restraining someone from smoking" implies physical intervention.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "refraining from smoking" functions primarily as a gerund phrase, where "refraining" acts as a noun. It often serves as the subject or object of a sentence, expressing the act of abstaining from smoking. As seen in Ludwig, it is frequently used in medical and health contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

65%

News & Media

25%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "refraining from smoking" is a grammatically correct and common expression used to describe the act of abstaining from smoking. As confirmed by Ludwig, it appears most frequently in scientific and news contexts, often in discussions about health recommendations and research studies. While "refraining from smoking" is generally interchangeable with alternatives like "abstaining from smoking" or "avoiding smoking", it subtly emphasizes a conscious and deliberate choice. When using this phrase, be mindful to distinguish it from "restraining", which carries a different meaning related to physical prevention. Use "refraining from smoking" in situations when you need to give a clear and direct advise about avoiding this dangerous habit.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

abstaining from smoking

Focuses on the act of deliberately choosing not to smoke.

avoiding smoking

Suggests taking actions to steer clear of situations where smoking might occur.

not smoking

A simpler and more direct way of expressing the same idea.

quitting smoking

Implies a previous habit of smoking that has been stopped.

giving up smoking

Similar to "quitting smoking", but with a slightly more informal tone.

ceasing to smoke

A more formal and less common way to say "stopping smoking".

eschewing smoking

A less common and more emphatic way to say "avoiding smoking".

forgoing smoking

Highlights the act of deliberately giving up the pleasure or habit of smoking.

desisting from smoking

A formal and somewhat archaic way to say "stopping smoking".

refraining from tobacco use

Broader in scope, encompassing all forms of tobacco, not just smoking.

FAQs

What does "refraining from smoking" mean?

The phrase "refraining from smoking" means choosing not to smoke, usually for health, personal, or contextual reasons. It indicates a conscious decision to abstain from the act of smoking.

How can I use "refraining from smoking" in a sentence?

You can use "refraining from smoking" in sentences like, "Doctors recommend "refraining from smoking" to improve lung health" or "During the study, participants were asked to focus on "refraining from smoking"".

What are some alternatives to "refraining from smoking"?

Alternatives include "abstaining from smoking", "avoiding smoking", "quitting smoking", or simply "not smoking". The best choice depends on the specific context.

Is "refraining from smoking" the same as "quitting smoking"?

"Refraining from smoking" implies a temporary or ongoing choice to avoid smoking, while "quitting smoking" suggests a permanent decision to stop a pre-existing smoking habit.