stricture

noun stric·ture \ ˈstrik-chər \

|Updated on: 12 Jul 2018

Examples: stricture in a Sentence

Editor's Note: Did You Know?

Definition of stricture

1 a : an abnormal narrowing of a bodily passage; also : the narrowed part

b : a constriction of the breath passage in the production of a speech sound

2 : something that closely restrains or limits : restriction

moral strictures

3 : an adverse criticism : censure

See stricture defined for English-language learners

See stricture defined for kids

Examples of stricture in a Sentence

the church's strictures on the morals and mores of contemporary society
the new zoning strictures effectively make further development along the riverfront commercially unviable

Recent Examples of stricture from the Web

With the strictures of what, say, Comcast has on them, right?

— recode staff, Recode, "Full transcript: Silicon Valley Congressman Ro Khanna on Recode Decode," 15 June 2018
If oil prices rise further, Mr Hamm’s strictures on discipline may again be ignored.

— The Economist, "American shale-oil producers are on a roll," 10 May 2018
And pre-launch certification for satellite-launching companies could involve new strictures.

— sarah scoles, WIRED, "Space Really Does Need Traffic Cops," 19 June 2018
Also, people with Crohn’s may eventually experience scarring and narrowing of their intestinal walls (known as intestinal strictures).

— korin miller, SELF, "10 Crohn’s Disease Symptoms, From Diarrhea to Beyond," 13 June 2018
An art critic during the early days of his career, Judd wrestled with how to break free from the strictures of existing art forms while embracing the next evolution.

— siobhan morrissey, miamiherald, "These paintings are rarely shown. You can see them in Miami's Design District. | Miami Herald," 17 May 2018
As Marcius Extavour, who is in charge of the prize, explains, this stricture was intended to bar ideas like growing new forests—which are not exactly a novelty.

— The Economist, "$15m is available to solve a burning problem," 9 Apr. 2018
Dozens of hotels and resorts on Turkey's shores, featuring separate pools and beaches for men and women to meet religious strictures on modesty, are attracting families from Turkey, the Middle East, and Muslim communities in the West.

— ezgi erkoyun, The Christian Science Monitor, "Turkey's halal-friendly tourism draws crowds," 23 May 2018
Meghan has already put that legacy to work in intriguing ways, proving adept at working within, and beyond, traditional venues and strictures.

— daniel d'addario, Time, "Why Harry and Meghan's Wedding Was a Meaningful Step Forward for the Monarchy," 19 May 2018

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

Did You Know?

Stricture has meant many things through the centuries, and its "restriction" meaning—probably the most common one today—is actually the most recent. High-school teachers often put strictures on texting during class. Cities concerned about their murder rate have slapped strictures on the possession of handguns. And the United Nations may vote to put strictures on arms sales to a country that keeps violating international treaties. With the meaning "strong criticism", stricture is slightly old-fashioned today, but it's still used by intellectuals. So, for example, an article may amount to a harsh stricture on the whole medical profession, or an art review may just express the critic's strictures on sentimental paintings of cute little houses with glowing windows.