1
as in to compel
to cause (a person) to give in to pressure
constrained by conscience to tell only the truth
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to regulate
to keep from exceeding a desirable degree or level (as of expression)
constrained his anger at the needless interruption
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of constrain
Fiscal dominance is the point at which financing needs begin to constrain the central bank’s inflation fight, and the adjustment happens through the purchasing power of money rather than through taxes or spending cuts.
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Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 5 Jan. 2026
International law does not constrain America from adopting regime change in Venezuela as a policy, or from calling Maduro’s rule illegitimate.
—Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 3 Jan. 2026
By realizing a novel high-density operating scheme on EAST, the team demonstrated that plasma density, long constrained by empirical limits in tokamak operation, can be substantially extended without triggering disruptive instabilities.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 2 Jan. 2026
Electricity, which was abundant enough to be taken for granted, now looks like the bottleneck constraining everything from data centers to manufacturing.
—Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for constrain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for constrain
Verb
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Necessity compelled us to use it.—
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For that reason, too, the Grammy winner was compelled to furnish it primarily in one brand, RH, so that every bit of white oak would be the same.—
Verb
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According to Spark Biomedical, this stimulation regulates the nervous system and influences blood flow.—
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The devices measure pollutants regulated by the EPA, including nitrogen oxides, ozone and particulate matter from sources like gas turbines, factories and heavy traffic.—
Verb
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Further complicating matters, Doe was interviewed by Phong Tran, a then-Oakland detective who has since been charged with perjury for allegedly coercing witnesses into falsely incriminating murder defendants.—
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The lawsuit accused the company of coercing customers into signing agreements that allowed the company to act as the exclusive real estate listing agent for an undisclosed period of time.—
Verb
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Dominique could hardly contain himself in his seat.—
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Some fruit pits and seeds, like those in apples and pears, contain traces of cyanide, which is harmful to birds.—
Verb
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The system adapts to tone and intent without forcing app switching or blank-page starts.—
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She and other members of both houses and both parties were evacuated for their safety for several hours as rioters forced their way into the Capitol that day.—
Verb
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The state Department of Education controls public education, under the leadership of the governor and the Legislature.—
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The farmers also pitched in with efforts of their own, including adjusting fertilizer methods, controlling soil erosion and increasing on-site water retention.—
Verb
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Beyond that, the A’s are in no way obligated to drop the name Las Vegas Athletics because the USPTO hasn’t yet trademarked the phrase.—
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You are not obligated to be everyone’s friend, nor are you obligated to make friends for those who seem lost.—
Verb
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The jury in the civil trial found that the man who restrained McGaff shared 40% of the responsibility.—
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Initially, fears about the company’s debt load restrained its stock’s performance.—
Cite this Entry
“Constrain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/constrain. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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