constraint
noun
con·straint
kən-ˈstrānt 
1
a
: the act of constraining
b
: the state of being checked, restricted, or compelled to avoid or perform some action
… the constraint and monotony of a monastic life …—
Matthew Arnold
a life of invalidism and constraint
c
: a constraining condition, agency, or force : check
put legal constraints on the board's activities
Budget constraints have forced me to revise my travel plans.
2
a
: repression of one's own feelings, behavior, or actions
emotional constraint
b
: a sense of being constrained : embarrassment
"… a constraint between us as if we were strangers …"—John P. Marquand
Examples of constraint in a Sentence
Lack of funding has been a major constraint on the building's design.
They demand freedom from constraint.
They refuse to work under constraint any longer.
Recent Examples on the Web
The authors emphasize that such tools matter less as résumé keywords than as vehicles for understanding how models behave within real-world constraints.
—IEEE Spectrum, 15 Jan. 2026
Yet those very domestic constraints now limit how far states can shift toward neo-mercantilism.
—Pratap Bhanu Mehta, Time, 15 Jan. 2026
Without reform, the law risks slowing innovation and investment, driving jobs out of Colorado, and imposing millions of dollars in implementation costs at a time of serious budget constraints.
—Mike Johnston, Denver Post, 15 Jan. 2026
The committee recommended reducing administrative positions and non-instructional staff to address budget constraints.
—Erick Trevino, AZCentral.com, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for constraint
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Cite this Entry
“Constraint.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/constraint. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
Kids Definition
constraint
noun
con·straint
kən-ˈstrānt
1
: the act of constraining : the state of being constrained
2
: something that constrains : check
3
: a holding back of one's feelings, actions, or behavior
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