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

Synonyms of constraint

• restraint
• discipline
• repression
• inhibition
• suppression

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

How does the time constraint change the storytelling and the rhythm of the show? — Hunter Ingram, Variety, 18 Sep. 2026

In this view, aggressive development with minimal new constraints is presented as the only realistic strategy to prevent hostile foreign powers from dominating advanced AI. — Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026

However, even these roads were not as straight as modern ones, mostly due to engineering constraints. — Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 18 Sep. 2026

The challenge is delivering the appropriate compute within the application’s power, memory, latency and cost constraints. — Iri Trashanski, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Middle French constrainte, from constraindre — see constrain

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for constraint

• acquaint
• complaint
• distraint
• repaint
• restraint
• faint
• feint
• maint
• paint
• plaint
• quaint
• saint

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