Definition of constraint
1a : the act of constrainingb : 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 constraintc : 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.
2a : repression of one's own feelings, behavior, or actions emotional constraintb : a sense of being constrained : embarrassment “ … a constraint between us as if we were strangers … ” — John P. Marquand
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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 of constraint from the Web
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Center said the City Manager's Office, working with the Human Resources Department, created the role to address current departmental needs while being mindful of the city's budget constraints.
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The New Jersey-New York area is a frequent bottleneck caused by capacity constraints and aging infrastructure.
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This constraint was fine, for fans of Rudy Vallee or besotted swells forgetting themselves at lavish Tom and Daisy-ish parties.
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Scenes cut from this movie's theatrical release were discarded due to time constraints rather than the nature of their content.
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And between industry limitation and budget constraints, only two are being added each year.
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House Republicans are eager to move the bill forward, as removing constraints that Dodd-Frank imposed on the finance industry is a top goal that is shared by President Donald Trump.
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Marta Dusseldorp as a woman who comes home after a liberating sojourn in Paris and has to reacclimate to the constraints of rural New South Wales.
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But these opportunities are also design constraints: Mobile screens are small, driven by touch, and often connected to spotty networks.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'constraint'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of constraint
Middle English, from Middle French constrainte, from constraindre —see constrain
CONSTRAINT Defined for English Language Learners
constraint
playDefinition of constraint for English Language Learners
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: something that limits or restricts someone or something
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: control that limits or restricts someone's actions or behavior
CONSTRAINT Defined for Kids
constraint
playDefinition of constraint for Students
1 : control that limits or restricts The committee refused to act under constraint.
2 : something that limits or restricts money constraints
Learn More about constraint
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See words that rhyme with constraint Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for constraint Spanish Central: Translation of constraint Nglish: Translation of constraint for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of constraint for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about constraint
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