1
as in to compel
to cause (a person) to give in to pressure
constrained by conscience to tell only the truth
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to regulate
to keep from exceeding a desirable degree or level (as of expression)
constrained his anger at the needless interruption
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of constrain
Trump hails the war as a triumphant use of American military might that has constrained a rogue regime and protected the world from its nuclear ambitions.
—
Susan Page,
USA Today,
23 June 2026
On-site, behind-the-meter generation lets operators scale without waiting on the grid or hitting consumers in the wallet, and rapid-deployment options like fuel cells can keep pace with development otherwise constrained by gas-turbine backlogs and long nuclear lead times.
—
Vimal Kapur,
Fortune,
23 June 2026
The result is a missile that is not constrained by traditional fuel tanks and could potentially remain airborne for extremely long periods.
—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
22 June 2026
But the larger, sadder obstacle for Starmer was that, in the past decade, the job of the British Prime Minister has become terribly constrained.
—
Sam Knight,
New Yorker,
22 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for constrain
Susan Page,
USA Today,
23 June 2026
On-site, behind-the-meter generation lets operators scale without waiting on the grid or hitting consumers in the wallet, and rapid-deployment options like fuel cells can keep pace with development otherwise constrained by gas-turbine backlogs and long nuclear lead times.
—
Vimal Kapur,
Fortune,
23 June 2026
The result is a missile that is not constrained by traditional fuel tanks and could potentially remain airborne for extremely long periods.
—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
22 June 2026
But the larger, sadder obstacle for Starmer was that, in the past decade, the job of the British Prime Minister has become terribly constrained.
—
Sam Knight,
New Yorker,
22 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for constrain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for constrain
Verb
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Detective Joshua Hylton was granted a geofence warrant that compelled Google to search its database and identify every cellphone in a 17½-acre area around the bank, including private residences and a church, for a period of two hours.
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The Current building the stadium, of course, helped compel the expansion that opened in May with a stop that is about a five-minute walk from the stadium.
Verb
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Progressives cite its emphasis on the dignity of work and workers, and on the need for government to regulate working conditions that threaten this dignity.
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Meanwhile, even some PBM critics question whether states can effectively regulate them.
Verb
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Weger later insisted he had been coerced into making the confession.
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The decentralized group, created by 15-year-old Bradley Chance Cadenhead in Stephenville, targets children through social media, gaming platforms and messaging apps to coerce them into self-harm and sharing explicit content.
Verb
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Firefighters, meanwhile, quickly contained the blaze to a 10-by-10-foot area.
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Each kit contains five breakfasts and five lunches.
Verb
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Chisholm did not appear to go around and immediately erupted over the lack of an appeal, forcing Boone and first base coach Dan Fiorito to intervene.
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The competing corridors have left shippers confused, forcing vessels to navigate threats from sea mines, aerial drones and IRGC patrol boats.
Verb
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France has largely dominated, controlling 68% of possession and creating a whopping seven shots on goal.
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Doing your nails at home gives you control over how aggressively the nail plate is filed and how gel is removed, which can lower the risk of long-term damage.
Verb
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Parents feel obligated to provide their children with a certain standard of summer vacation, regardless of the actual cost.
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You are not obligated to carry everyone’s emotions, Sagittarius.
Verb
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Three women were restrained, arrested, and held for nearly 20 hours in the Baltimore City Detention Center, the lawsuit alleges.
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After a special education student in Seymour Public Schools was restrained and secluded 53 times in seven months, the child’s parents filed an official state complaint.
Cite this Entry
“Constrain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/constrain. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
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