1
as in compelled
to cause (a person) to give in to pressure
constrained by conscience to tell only the truth
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in controlled
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
as in restrained
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of constrained
Felicia Jackson, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
From tariffs squeezing profits and constrained supply chains to lagging consumer demand for electric vehicles, automotive sales — especially among Stellantis brands — have sputtered.
—Liam Rappleye, Freep.com, 24 Aug. 2025
The system supports next-generation collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) development, enables training in constrained airspace, and generates structured datasets to objectively assess pilot readiness, according to Red 6.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 24 Aug. 2025
The bartenders wore white coats like a pre-Prohibition hotel bar, but their demeanor was something like the opposite of the constrained stoicism of the bygone past.
—Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 9 Aug. 2025
Camilla Wright, semafor.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Second, participants noted that the size of meetings was no longer constrained by office size.
—Diane Brady, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2025
Most likely in contexts where access to the internet is most constrained.
—Literary Hub, 29 Sep. 2025
In an August webcast, a Micron executive said its HBM has 30% lower power consumption than the next competitor, an important factor because data centers are increasingly power constrained.
—Angela Palermo, Idaho Statesman, 24 Sep. 2025
Health care is inherently resource-constrained; there are enormous time pressures, and doctors don’t have unlimited time to explain diagnoses and treatments.
—Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 23 Sep. 2025
For 15 years, the iPad was constrained by Apple’s ancient understanding of who uses tablets and why.
—Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
In areas where water availability is limited, competing demands, such as agriculture or community needs, may be constrained, illustrating how AI’s resource footprint can intersect with broader development challenges.
—Michaela Rychetska, JSTOR Daily, 18 Sep. 2025
The calls for retribution are not constrained to the fringes, and now whole shows are getting the axe.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 18 Sep. 2025
Verb
Without both, the promise of inclusive finance may well remain constrained.
—Felicia Jackson, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
From tariffs squeezing profits and constrained supply chains to lagging consumer demand for electric vehicles, automotive sales — especially among Stellantis brands — have sputtered.
—Liam Rappleye, Freep.com, 24 Aug. 2025
The system supports next-generation collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) development, enables training in constrained airspace, and generates structured datasets to objectively assess pilot readiness, according to Red 6.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 24 Aug. 2025
The bartenders wore white coats like a pre-Prohibition hotel bar, but their demeanor was something like the opposite of the constrained stoicism of the bygone past.
—Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 9 Aug. 2025
Adjective
But the most visible female performers are still constrained, forced to navigate complex paths to fame while balancing the expectations of family, clan, and a conservative society.
—Camilla Wright, semafor.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Second, participants noted that the size of meetings was no longer constrained by office size.
—Diane Brady, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2025
Most likely in contexts where access to the internet is most constrained.
—Literary Hub, 29 Sep. 2025
In an August webcast, a Micron executive said its HBM has 30% lower power consumption than the next competitor, an important factor because data centers are increasingly power constrained.
—Angela Palermo, Idaho Statesman, 24 Sep. 2025
Health care is inherently resource-constrained; there are enormous time pressures, and doctors don’t have unlimited time to explain diagnoses and treatments.
—Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 23 Sep. 2025
For 15 years, the iPad was constrained by Apple’s ancient understanding of who uses tablets and why.
—Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
In areas where water availability is limited, competing demands, such as agriculture or community needs, may be constrained, illustrating how AI’s resource footprint can intersect with broader development challenges.
—Michaela Rychetska, JSTOR Daily, 18 Sep. 2025
The calls for retribution are not constrained to the fringes, and now whole shows are getting the axe.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 18 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for constrained
Verb
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What compelled you to want to be more cognizant of styling?—
Andre Gee,
Rolling Stone,
2 Oct. 2025
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Kobach asked Watson to issue a court order that would have compelled Kelly and Howard to sign off on the data transfer as part of their official duties.—
Matthew Kelly,
Kansas City Star,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Whitmer established the universal meals program when Democrats controlled both chambers of the Michigan Legislature.—
Clara Hendrickson,
Freep.com,
3 Oct. 2025
-
As Kering and Valentino restructure, the current ownership of the couture house, controlled by Mayhoola, will not change before 2028 at the earliest — an amendment to their shareholders’ agreement, inked at the time of Kering’s acquisition of a stake in Valentino in 2023.—
Luisa Zargani,
Footwear News,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
In the after-hours, the black faille number styled with a silky lime-green tank top was at once restrained and opulent, just great for a night out.—
Sandra Salibian,
Footwear News,
29 Sep. 2025
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In practice, despite his rhetoric, Israel’s longest serving prime minister’s security policy was widely seen as cautious and relatively restrained, even derided as cowardly by political rivals, who also mocked his inability to make decisive moves.—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Leading by 3 with just over a minute left, Canales forced the Dolphins to use their first two timeouts with a pair of Rico Dowdle runs.—
Joseph Person,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Without Karen around, the women are forced to contend with the fallout from the reunion — namely, the tenuous terms that many of the women left with Karen on and the unresolved confrontation between the bulk of the cast and newcomer Stacey Rusch.—
Shamira Ibrahim,
Vulture,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The brokerage provides the ability to trade prediction-market contracts in the US through partnerships with Kalshi and ForecastEx, which are regulated by the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
30 Sep. 2025
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Former Biden administration officials issued executive orders that regulated AI in part based on concerns that AGI is on the horizon.—
Michael C. Horowitz,
Foreign Affairs,
26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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There are students who feel inhibited from expressing their Jewish or Zionist identity because of the atmosphere of the atmosphere of intimidation or harassment on college campuses.—
Andrew Stanton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Aug. 2025
-
Nini and Lali seemed happier without him—more relaxed, less inhibited.—
Tao Lin,
Harpers Magazine,
20 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Stefon Flowers coerced at least four women into prostitution for his financial gain over the course of three months in 2023, according to a news release from the Denver District Attorney’s Office.—
Lauren Penington,
Denver Post,
29 Sep. 2025
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The word describes what happens when electrons are coerced to spin in tandem, as opposed to spinning in opposite directions, which is the default state of most electrons most of the time.—
Andre Mouchard,
Oc Register,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Between 2018 and 2022, more than two-thirds of cases of female breast cancer were diagnosed at a localized stage, meaning the cancer was contained to the breast, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
1 Oct. 2025
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Safdie may have found a new way to make a sports drama, one that relies less on the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat and more on all that is contained in the ambivalent middle.—
Richard Lawson,
Rolling Stone,
1 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Constrained.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/constrained. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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