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
Matthew Arnolda 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
John P. MarquandExamples 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
SpaceX argues that orbital data centers sidestep the land, water and power grid constraints squeezing terrestrial AI.
—Chris Stokel-Walker, Scientific American, 12 June 2026
Forty years without a new material Beyond supply risk, Grainger argues, there is a deeper technological constraint.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 12 June 2026
Adaptive Scheduling Dynamic scheduling works best when workload forecasting, labor availability and operational constraints are connected.
—Amruth Puppala, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
Their latest moves offer a fresh reminder that resource constraints can be solved by innovation.
—Editorial Board, Washington Post, 12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for constraint
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Chris Stokel-Walker, Scientific American, 12 June 2026
Forty years without a new material Beyond supply risk, Grainger argues, there is a deeper technological constraint.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 12 June 2026
Adaptive Scheduling Dynamic scheduling works best when workload forecasting, labor availability and operational constraints are connected.
—Amruth Puppala, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
Their latest moves offer a fresh reminder that resource constraints can be solved by innovation.
—Editorial Board, Washington Post, 12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for constraint
Cite this Entry
“Constraint.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/constraint. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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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