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

Each technology addresses a different constraint on what electronic systems can accomplish. — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 7 Nov. 2026

Regulators have also relaxed key capital constraints, giving banks greater flexibility to deploy their balance sheets. — Morgan Chittum, Fortune, 7 Nov. 2026

But those constraints can also encourage creative risk-taking, resulting in intimate character studies, groundbreaking animation and documentaries that tackle volatile subjects with remarkable economy. — Karen Idelson, Variety, 7 Nov. 2026

Michael Nagle | Bloomberg | Getty Images As a post-midterm rally Wednesday turned into a steep sell-off Thursday, tech executives sought to look through the notion that potential data center constraints could be catastrophic for their businesses. — Caleigh Keating, CNBC, 6 Nov. 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