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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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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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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of constraint
The price of lab monkeys in China surged to a five-year high, delaying some drug trials, as the country’s biotech boom runs into resource constraints.
—
Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 5 Jan. 2026
But this time without the constraints of Pierpoint’s walls.
—Alex Ritman, Variety, 5 Jan. 2026
This constraint forced a radically different design approach, prioritizing simplicity and efficiency over brute force.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 4 Jan. 2026
The analyst also discussed Micron’s solid guidance and added that despite industry supply constraints, Micron expects both DRAM and NAND bit shipments to increase by 20% in 2026.
—Tipranks.com Staff, CNBC, 4 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for constraint
Recent Examples of Synonyms for constraint
Noun
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But restraint does not mean passivity.—
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The American Conservative was founded on foreign policy restraint, trade realism, and migration sanity in 2002.—
Noun
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Later that month, a judge lifted the restriction and ordered that Hildebrandt must put $100,000 from the potential sale in a bank account for the children, according to ABC7.—
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Local blackout restrictions for Marlins would be eliminated in that scenario.—
Noun
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Auburn committed 26 against Texas' full- and half-court pressure with the Longhorns turning them into 40 points.—
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Polymer packaging requires injection molding, which normally uses high pressure.—
Noun
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Eberflus’ best intentions and vision for winning football disintegrated due in part to his team’s lack of discipline and the coaching staff’s inability to steer out of even the smallest skids.—
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However, the Chinese researchers argue that those systems typically focus on fewer disciplines and often require manual adjustments when expanded.—
Noun
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Those limitations cost them more than Kornet, with Kristaps Porziņģis (traded to the Atlanta Hawks) and Al Horford (signed with the Golden State Warriors) also lost during the offseason.—
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While the limitations imposed by the ACA cannot be undone by executive order, Congress has the power to repeal them.—
Noun
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These obsessions and compulsions interfere with daily activities and cause significant distress.—
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These obsessions and compulsions can vary from person to person.—
Noun
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Critics accuse him of enabling repression and politicizing the armed forces, while supporters portray him as a stabilizing figure.—
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In June only Israel attacked Iran’s apparatus of repression.—
Noun
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Most of those seeds require some bit of cold weather exposure or other mitigating factor to overcome the inhibition and set the stage for a more sensible spring germination.—
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The key is to relax, let go of your inhibitions, and just have fun.—
Cite this Entry
“Constraint.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/constraint. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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