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

Public firms that most fully internalized MSV—treating the current stock price as the master metric and stakeholders as constraints—often delivered mediocre long-term results and were disciplined by the market itself. — Steve Denning, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026

The adverse weather in Auckland limited the group’s freedom to explore, but there were no such constraints in Sydney’s winter sun. — Elias Burke, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2026

Real active debris removal (ADR) missions face similar constraints, where even small velocity mismatches can lead to mission failure or damage to the capture vehicle or target. — Alan Bradley, Space.com, 2 Aug. 2026

Butler told the council Tuesday the developers had invited him to help revise the proposal to better address the site’s constraints. — Noah Daly august 1, Idaho Statesman, 1 Aug. 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