straitjacket

1 of 2

noun

strait·​jack·​et ˈstrāt-ˌja-kət How to pronounce straitjacket (audio)
variants or less commonly straightjacket
1
: a cover or overgarment of strong material (such as canvas) used to bind the body and especially the arms closely in restraining a violent prisoner or patient
2
: something that restricts or confines like a straitjacket

straitjacket

2 of 2

verb

variants or less commonly straightjacket
straitjacketed also straightjacketed; straitjacketing also straightjacketing; straitjackets also straightjackets

transitive verb

: to confine in or as if in a straitjacket

Examples of straitjacket in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
To be sure, in the past decade Democrats and Republicans have abandoned the fiscal straitjacket of the Nineties, drifting away from laissez-faire economics and toward more nationalist policies on trade, infrastructure, and immigration. Andrew Cockburn, Harper's Magazine, 25 Aug. 2024 Several contemplate vibrant futures for the L.A. River, tearing out concrete flood-control straitjackets along its banks and reviving the waterway with abundant plants and wildlife, as well as walking paths. Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2024
Verb
Hip-hop from that period often incorporated sampling, a technique that was legally straitjacketed by 1991. Jeremy Gordon, New York Times, 3 May 2020 Trump was not straitjacketed by the laws and customs governing foundations, or by the most basic ethical norms. Steve Chapman, chicagotribune.com, 13 Nov. 2019 See all Example Sentences for straitjacket 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'straitjacket.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1814, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1863, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of straitjacket was in 1814

Dictionary Entries Near straitjacket

Cite this Entry

“Straitjacket.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/straitjacket. Accessed 8 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

straitjacket

noun
strait·​jack·​et
variants also straightjacket
ˈstrāt-ˌjak-ət
: a cover or outer garment of strong material (as canvas) used to restrict the movement of the arms as a means of controlling a violent prisoner or patient

Medical Definition

straitjacket

noun
strait·​jack·​et
variants also straightjacket
: a cover or garment of strong material (as canvas) used to bind the body and especially the arms closely in restraining a violent prisoner or patient

More from Merriam-Webster on straitjacket

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