restraint
noun
re·straint
ri-ˈstrānt 
1
a
: an act of restraining : the state of being restrained
b(1)
: a means of restraining : a restraining force or influence
(2)
: a device that restricts movement
a restraint for children riding in cars
2
: a control over the expression of one's emotions or thoughts
Examples of restraint in a Sentence
Make sure the child safety restraint is in place.
The prisoner was placed in restraints.
His angry response showed a lack of restraint.
The government has acted with restraint in dealing with this crisis.
Recent Examples on the Web
International calls for restraint Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held separate phone calls with his Pakistani, Afghan, Qatari and Saudi counterparts on Friday to discuss the conflict, a Turkish official said, without providing details on the talks.
—
Munir Ahmed, Chicago Tribune, 27 Feb. 2026
International calls for restraint Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held separate phone calls with his Pakistani, Afghan, Qatari and Saudi counterparts Friday to discuss the conflict, a Turkish official said, without providing details on the talks.
—Munir Ahmed, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2026
World leaders call for restraint Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called on Pakistan and Afghanistan to seek dialogue with each other and resolve their conflict peacefully.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 27 Feb. 2026
Like Newell, Abraham is a Black, non-binary performer with an exquisite singing voice, playing a character who has not been given the corny comedy restraints placed on the rest of the cast.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 27 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for restraint
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Munir Ahmed, Chicago Tribune, 27 Feb. 2026
International calls for restraint Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held separate phone calls with his Pakistani, Afghan, Qatari and Saudi counterparts Friday to discuss the conflict, a Turkish official said, without providing details on the talks.
—Munir Ahmed, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2026
World leaders call for restraint Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called on Pakistan and Afghanistan to seek dialogue with each other and resolve their conflict peacefully.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 27 Feb. 2026
Like Newell, Abraham is a Black, non-binary performer with an exquisite singing voice, playing a character who has not been given the corny comedy restraints placed on the rest of the cast.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 27 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for restraint
Cite this Entry
“Restraint.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/restraint. Accessed 5 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
restraint
noun
re·straint
ri-ˈstrānt
1
: the act of restraining : the state of being restrained
held in restraint
2
: a restraining force or influence
3
: control over one's behavior
act with restraint
Medical Definition
restraint
noun
re·straint
ri-ˈstrānt
: a device that restricts movement
restraints such as straitjackets for violent patients
Legal Definition
restraint
noun
re·straint
ri-ˈstrānt
1
a
: an act or fact of restraining see also prior restraint
b
: the state of being restrained
2
a
: a means of restraining
b
: a device that restricts movement (as of prisoners or violent psychiatric patients)
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
