1
as in restraint
the checking of one's true feelings and impulses when dealing with others
in civilized society people do not just say or do whatever they feel like—they exercise some constraint
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in restriction
something that limits one's freedom of action or choice
put legal constraints on the board's activities
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in pressure
the use of power to impose one's will on another
parental constraint can take several different forms, including a denial of the approval that children usually seek from their parents
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of constraint
April 26 is no exception, as Mars opposes Pluto (for the second time since November 2024), highlighting a deep power struggle between the desire for growth and investment vs. the challenges that could come with financial constraints.
—
Valerie Mesa, People.com, 3 Apr. 2025
The vertical nature of the homes, different than a classic single-family home, reflect space constraints in much of Southern California.
—Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Apr. 2025
Her father's experience as an OB/GYN provided insight into the time constraints and systemic challenges providers face.
—Geri Stengel, Forbes.com, 2 Apr. 2025
And while the interests of international law look unlikely to be served over the next four days, the trip, by virtue of its singularity, acts as a reminder of the new international constraints under which Israel’s leader now operates.
—Andrew Carey, CNN Money, 2 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for constraint
Valerie Mesa, People.com, 3 Apr. 2025
The vertical nature of the homes, different than a classic single-family home, reflect space constraints in much of Southern California.
—Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Apr. 2025
Her father's experience as an OB/GYN provided insight into the time constraints and systemic challenges providers face.
—Geri Stengel, Forbes.com, 2 Apr. 2025
And while the interests of international law look unlikely to be served over the next four days, the trip, by virtue of its singularity, acts as a reminder of the new international constraints under which Israel’s leader now operates.
—Andrew Carey, CNN Money, 2 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for constraint
Recent Examples of Synonyms for constraint
Noun
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The chance that American attacks on Houthis could prompt attacks on Saudi Arabia and a renewal of the kingdom’s brutal war in Yemen was a chief concern of the Biden administration, a prime reason that White House operated with a degree of restraint in its strikes on Houthi targets.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
26 Mar. 2025
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Sullivan, 56, was charged with first-degree unlawful restraint, cruelty to persons and first-degree reckless endangerment.—
Livi Stanford,
Hartford Courant,
25 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Some regulators might see stablecoins as competition to or complementary with CBDCs, leading to either tighter restrictions or new forms of partnership.—
Zennon Kapron,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025
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Other states are also debating whether to remove transfer restrictions.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The blame doesn’t solely fall at his feet, but in the final year of his contract, the pressure is on his team to make fall baseball a reality once again on the north side of Chicago.—
Sahadev Sharma,
New York Times,
28 Mar. 2025
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The San Diego Padres know pressure is on to make the playoffs this year.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Mar. 2025
Noun
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In East Germany, Czechoslovakia and Poland, ministries dictated curricula, Marxism-Leninism became mandatory across disciplines, and admissions were reengineered to favor students from loyalist backgrounds.—
Iveta Silova,
The Conversation,
9 Apr. 2025
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Ritchey sees the fantastic as the foil to the Germanic Bildungsroman, which influenced continental Romantic arts across disciplines.—
Angelica Frey,
JSTOR Daily,
9 Apr. 2025
Noun
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But the most likely outcome for that second leg is another clear demonstration of the squad’s limitations.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
10 Apr. 2025
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Despite its impressive findings, the study did have some limitations.—
Sarah Garone,
Health,
10 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Every Wednesday, women in Iran would film videos of themselves walking unveiled, a peaceful protest against compulsion.—
Katrina Kaufman,
CBS News,
25 Mar. 2025
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Creating collages is almost a compulsion, a way for Jarmusch to escape from the world and nestle into self-reflection.—
Renée Reizman,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Documenting Jenna’s bold art and activism, this film offers a powerful, intimate look at resilience under repression.—
Hilary Lewis,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Apr. 2025
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At the heart of his writing is the idea of providing a deeper and more nuanced understanding of a country that lost a quarter of its population in less than a decade — one that goes beyond the images of humanitarian emergencies, crime, repression and economic collapse.—
Roxsy Lin,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Read More: 8 Things to Say During a Fight With Your Partner Swearing seems to help people shed their social inhibitions, according to Stephens, one of the study’s authors.—
Stacey Colino,
Time,
1 Apr. 2025
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Those raising awareness of the Arabic Facebook posts feel no such inhibition.—
Ben Sales,
Sun Sentinel,
24 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Constraint.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/constraint. Accessed 20 Apr. 2025.
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