straitjacket

noun strait·jack·et \ ˈstrāt-ˌja-kət \

variants: or less commonly straightjacket

Updated on: 21 Mar 2018

Definition of straitjacket

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

See straitjacket defined for English-language learners

See straitjacket defined for kids

Recent Examples of straitjacket from the Web

Against Trump in 2016, Jeb’s straight-lacedness turned into a straitjacket.

— dan zak, BostonGlobe.com, "‘SNL’ thinks it’s figured out the Trump brothers, but does it get them right?," 14 Mar. 2018
McDonagh is clearly trying to move beyond the straitjacket of violent comedy.

— charles mcnulty, latimes.com, "Why 'Three Billboards' and 'Call Me by Your Name' leave this theater critic cold," 1 Mar. 2018
Other writers explore the limitations of labels and the straitjacket of stereotype.

— charisse jones, USA TODAY, "Women of color 'Sing' proudly in new essay collection," 5 Feb. 2018
Its time spent listening is down, staffs have been pared to the bone, and two of the medium's largest firms -- iHeartMedia and Cumulus -- are addressing long-standing financial straitjackets.

— tom roland, Billboard, "Country Radio Seminar Recap: An Industry 'Up Against Anything and Everything' Urged to Get Smart About the Future," 13 Feb. 2018
Tuesday’s marathon press conference by nonpartisan White House physician Ronny Jackson, M.D., defanged Fire and Fury author Michael Wolff’s much-echoed claim that Trump is one Twitter storm away from being wheeled off in a straitjacket.

— deroy murdock, National Review, "What a Year That Was," 19 Jan. 2018
Cooking liberated our ancestors from this same physiological straitjacket and put us back on track to develop brains as large as expected for primates our size.

— ferris jabr, New York Times, "To Unlock the Brain’s Mysteries, Purée It," 14 Dec. 2017
As guests look on, Goldrake, wrapped in a straitjacket and dangling upside down, is submerged in a tank of water.

— jay jones, latimes.com, "Magicians kick it up a notch — even making a helicopter materialize on stage — in four new Las Vegas shows," 21 Dec. 2017
By creating a fiscal straitjacket through lower taxes, conservatives leave Washington with less money and raise the specter of deficits damaging the economy as a rationale to take away the benefits that millions of Americans depend on.

— julian e. zelizer, The Atlantic, "Blowing Up the Deficit Is Part of the Plan," 19 Dec. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'straitjacket.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of straitjacket

1814

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

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straitjacket

verb

variants: or less commonly straightjacket

Definition of straitjacket

transitive verb

: to confine in or as if in a straitjacket

Recent Examples of straitjacket from the Web

Critics over the years have accused Muti of straitjacketing the music in the name of fidelity to the score, but there was no rigidity of pacing or phrasing here.

— john von rhein, chicagotribune.com, "In Salzburg, Muti's return to 'Aida' was worth the wait," 22 Aug. 2017
Highlights from previous eras, including the 1980s pinnacle of the Lakers-Celtics rivalry, look shrunken and straitjacketed in comparison.

— john branch, New York Times, "The Golden State Warriors Play the Beautiful Game," 25 Oct. 2016
This was long before the Corps of Engineers straitjacketed the once wide and slower-moving river.

— darryl levings, kansascity, "How Kansas City came to fear ‘Pest House Island’," 28 Apr. 2017

First Known Use of straitjacket

1863

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

STRAITJACKET Defined for English Language Learners

straitjacket

noun

Definition of straitjacket for English Language Learners

: a jacket that has long arms which can be tied together behind someone's back and that is used to control the movements of a violent prisoner or patient

Medical Dictionary

straitjacket

noun strait·jack·et

variants: also straightjacket play \ˈstrāt-ˌjak-ət\

medical Definition of straitjacket

: 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

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See words that rhyme with straitjacket Spanish Central: Translation of straitjacket Nglish: Translation of straitjacket for Spanish speakers

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straitjacket

Definition of straitjacket

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straitjacket

Definition of straitjacket

Recent Examples of straitjacket from the Web

First Known Use of straitjacket

STRAITJACKET Defined for English Language Learners

straitjacket

Definition of straitjacket for English Language Learners

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straitjacket

medical Definition of straitjacket

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straitjacket

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First Known Use of straitjacket

straitjacket

Definition of straitjacket

Recent Examples of straitjacket from the Web

First Known Use of straitjacket

STRAITJACKET Defined for English Language Learners

straitjacket

Definition of straitjacket for English Language Learners

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