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 has become a benchmark for what private capital can build outside the constraints of public markets.
—Ethan Stone, USA Today, 29 May 2026
Other refineries cannot easily pivot to produce more Group III base oils either, largely because any spare capacity is devoted to diesel and jet fuel, which are more profitable and face their own supply constraints.
—Jordan Blum, Fortune, 29 May 2026
The audit trail serves as both a compliance control and a learning mechanism, surfacing where the probabilistic layer is drifting and where the constraint architecture needs tightening.
—Raju Malhotra, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
The tank produces uniform ice fields by design, which is both a strength and a constraint.
—Deena Theresa, Interesting Engineering, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for constraint
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Ethan Stone, USA Today, 29 May 2026
Other refineries cannot easily pivot to produce more Group III base oils either, largely because any spare capacity is devoted to diesel and jet fuel, which are more profitable and face their own supply constraints.
—Jordan Blum, Fortune, 29 May 2026
The audit trail serves as both a compliance control and a learning mechanism, surfacing where the probabilistic layer is drifting and where the constraint architecture needs tightening.
—Raju Malhotra, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
The tank produces uniform ice fields by design, which is both a strength and a constraint.
—Deena Theresa, Interesting Engineering, 28 May 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 2 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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