as in restrained
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1
as in compelled
to cause (a person) to give in to pressure
constrained by conscience to tell only the truth
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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
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Recent Examples of constrained
Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 16 Apr. 2026
When temperatures drop, gas demand climbs, and constrained pipelines that supply the region reach capacity, pushing up electric prices.
—Alex Kuffner, The Providence Journal, 10 Apr. 2026
These stocks are rising not because of strong execution, but due to constrained supply, Cramer explained.
—Paulina Likos, CNBC, 1 Apr. 2026
In other words, giving reasonable levers for constrained districts and kids who have a clear career pathway that doesn’t require language study.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026
The airline’s efforts to revive services have been held back by the closure of Qatar’s airspace, alongside the company’s heavier dependence on long-haul corridors that remain constrained.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 25 Mar. 2026
But his brain-imaging studies suggest that, during a psychedelic trip, communication between different regions of the brain becomes far less constrained than during normal consciousness, allowing new ways of thinking to emerge.
—Clayton Dalton, New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2026
Both fables and translations are forms of constrained writing.
—Jan Steyn, The Dial, 10 Mar. 2026
The scene from my dream is commonplace not only in my adopted home, the United States, and other liberal democracies, but even, in a constrained fashion, in the neighboring Turkey and Pakistan.
—Arash Azizi, Time, 3 Feb. 2026
Brian Dakss, CBS News, 11 Apr. 2026
Meanwhile, layered oxide systems are losing traction, constrained by slower uptake in utility-scale deployments and increasingly stringent performance and safety requirements.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 11 Apr. 2026
Even as China remains one of Iran’s biggest diplomatic allies, President Xi Jinping’s support for the Islamic Republic is being constrained by a vast trail of Chinese capital across the Gulf.
—Bloomberg, 10 Apr. 2026
Alicia García-Herrero, chief economist for Asia Pacific at Natixis Bank, said that while the crisis is not self-inflicted, fiscal space is far more constrained than in 1997 due to higher public-debt levels and limited room for aggressive stimulus.
—Anniek Bao,lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2026
The subject matter of New Deal art was more constrained and at times boosterish.
—Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 9 Apr. 2026
Its private sector — though constrained — has demonstrated adaptability under extreme conditions.
—Oscar De La Rosa, Boston Herald, 3 Apr. 2026
At the same time, the government remains constrained by the conditions of its bailout agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which limits its ability to introduce subsidies.
—Mayu Saini, Sourcing Journal, 31 Mar. 2026
When authority becomes too concentrated and variation too constrained, the system loses the adaptive capacity that complex environments require.
—Lawrence Rosenberg, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
The airport's air traffic controllers have also been facing challenges of constrained gate capacity and taxiway closures from long-term construction projects.
—Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 16 Apr. 2026
When temperatures drop, gas demand climbs, and constrained pipelines that supply the region reach capacity, pushing up electric prices.
—Alex Kuffner, The Providence Journal, 10 Apr. 2026
These stocks are rising not because of strong execution, but due to constrained supply, Cramer explained.
—Paulina Likos, CNBC, 1 Apr. 2026
In other words, giving reasonable levers for constrained districts and kids who have a clear career pathway that doesn’t require language study.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026
The airline’s efforts to revive services have been held back by the closure of Qatar’s airspace, alongside the company’s heavier dependence on long-haul corridors that remain constrained.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 25 Mar. 2026
But his brain-imaging studies suggest that, during a psychedelic trip, communication between different regions of the brain becomes far less constrained than during normal consciousness, allowing new ways of thinking to emerge.
—Clayton Dalton, New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2026
Both fables and translations are forms of constrained writing.
—Jan Steyn, The Dial, 10 Mar. 2026
The scene from my dream is commonplace not only in my adopted home, the United States, and other liberal democracies, but even, in a constrained fashion, in the neighboring Turkey and Pakistan.
—Arash Azizi, Time, 3 Feb. 2026
Verb
Inflation ran hot in March as a result of higher energy costs tied to the Iran war, which has constrained the flow of crude oil through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil supply.
—Brian Dakss, CBS News, 11 Apr. 2026
Meanwhile, layered oxide systems are losing traction, constrained by slower uptake in utility-scale deployments and increasingly stringent performance and safety requirements.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 11 Apr. 2026
Even as China remains one of Iran’s biggest diplomatic allies, President Xi Jinping’s support for the Islamic Republic is being constrained by a vast trail of Chinese capital across the Gulf.
—Bloomberg, 10 Apr. 2026
Alicia García-Herrero, chief economist for Asia Pacific at Natixis Bank, said that while the crisis is not self-inflicted, fiscal space is far more constrained than in 1997 due to higher public-debt levels and limited room for aggressive stimulus.
—Anniek Bao,lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2026
The subject matter of New Deal art was more constrained and at times boosterish.
—Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 9 Apr. 2026
Its private sector — though constrained — has demonstrated adaptability under extreme conditions.
—Oscar De La Rosa, Boston Herald, 3 Apr. 2026
At the same time, the government remains constrained by the conditions of its bailout agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which limits its ability to introduce subsidies.
—Mayu Saini, Sourcing Journal, 31 Mar. 2026
When authority becomes too concentrated and variation too constrained, the system loses the adaptive capacity that complex environments require.
—Lawrence Rosenberg, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for constrained
Adjective
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In contrast, Ionic capitals, which are more restrained, currently grace the columns at the entrance of the White House.—
Kevin D. Murphy,
The Conversation,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Some had pushed for a slightly more restrained proposal that would have given Democrats the upper hand in nine of the 11 House seats.—
Russell Berman,
The Atlantic,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Quigley’s blood alcohol content information was not public record until it was compelled by a judge in January of this year as part of discovery in a civil lawsuit.—
Flint McColgan,
Boston Herald,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Iranian media outlets are portraying the development as a victory for Tehran’s negotiating position, claiming that Iran’s insistence on linking progress in talks with Washington to a ceasefire in Lebanon compelled the United States and Israel to agree to a ceasefire there.—
CNN staff,
CNN Money,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Reservoirs in that drainage include Grand Lake, and flows are controlled by water managers.—
John Meyer,
Denver Post,
13 Apr. 2026
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That taxpayer money eventually ended up in a political action committee controlled by Uthmeier and used as part of the governor's campaign against the marijuana amendment in 2024.—
Jim DeFede,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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School is the crucible where raw vitality encounters the collective will to impose order and control but also to bring cultural richness to lives that might otherwise remain inhibited and crude.—
Tim Parks,
The New York Review of Books,
4 Apr. 2026
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Her last and only boyfriend, Tim, would have been too inhibited.—
Cassandra Neyenesch,
New Yorker,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Retailers say the ban forced them to pull 30-50% of their inventory, including some of their top‑selling products.—
Briseida Holguin,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
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Instead, Avdija is at risk of missing out on postseason honors entirely because of a midseason back injury that cost him 16 full games, forced him to leave immediately from a 17th and continues to bug him down the stretch of the season.—
Joe Vardon,
New York Times,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Unlike adult incontinence products, baby diapers are not regulated as medical devices under the Federal Drug Administration.—
Kate Sequeira,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
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However, Unison’s home equity agreement functions more like a consumer loan or mortgage and should be regulated as such, the attorneys argue.—
Judith Kohler,
Denver Post,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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And of course, our sweet, repressed boys steal the show.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Apr. 2026
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And Dane, who portrayed Nate’s repressed dad Cal Jacobs, died in February following a battle with ALS, after filming scenes for the show’s final season.—
Alli Rosenbloom,
CNN Money,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Audacity seems to be setting up a deadly confrontation between them, but there’s still some chance JoAnne can be coerced into playing ball with Duncan.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
12 Apr. 2026
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The criminal syndicates refitted their properties as centres where teams of workers – often trafficked and coerced – run online scams at scale.—
The Week UK,
TheWeek,
12 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Constrained.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/constrained. Accessed 19 Apr. 2026.
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