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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of constrained
Zongyuan Zoe Liu, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
Going into the end of the year, consumers with constrained budgets may look to stock market gains to augment spending.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 25 Nov. 2025
While GLP-1s offer substantial health benefits to Medicaid beneficiaries, state programs are already facing constrained budgets and administrative demands.
—Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 7 Nov. 2025
The project pushed beyond academic theory, relying on low-power computing and low-resolution cameras to prove that AI could run efficiently even in constrained environments.
—Matt Emma, USA Today, 10 Oct. 2025
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
Robert Lea, Space.com, 9 Jan. 2026
Guyana remained formally independent, yet functionally constrained.
—Rick Singh, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Jan. 2026
Dadonov has played just five games due to injury, and the club’s limited cap flexibility appears to have constrained its ability to take bigger swings.
—Harman Dayal, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
Similar to other great powers, the United States has long looked at its near-abroad at its exclusive domain, where the influence of geopolitical competitors must be constrained to the maximum extent possible.
—Daniel Depetris, Chicago Tribune, 6 Jan. 2026
By realizing a novel high-density operating scheme on EAST, the team demonstrated that plasma density, long constrained by empirical limits in tokamak operation, can be substantially extended without triggering disruptive instabilities.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 2 Jan. 2026
Most of the current research is constrained to animals, and those involving humans are typically small and of poor quality.
—Md Published, Verywell Health, 26 Dec. 2025
European clubs are not constrained by the same spending limits.
—Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 16 Dec. 2025
The piece required the entire radius of Hsieh’s life to be constrained by the clock.
—Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
Yet China’s capital and financial power is more constrained than its headline figures suggest.
—Zongyuan Zoe Liu, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
Going into the end of the year, consumers with constrained budgets may look to stock market gains to augment spending.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 25 Nov. 2025
While GLP-1s offer substantial health benefits to Medicaid beneficiaries, state programs are already facing constrained budgets and administrative demands.
—Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 7 Nov. 2025
The project pushed beyond academic theory, relying on low-power computing and low-resolution cameras to prove that AI could run efficiently even in constrained environments.
—Matt Emma, USA Today, 10 Oct. 2025
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
Verb
Models can predict the decay rate of sterile neutrinos, which is then constrained from the data.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 9 Jan. 2026
Guyana remained formally independent, yet functionally constrained.
—Rick Singh, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Jan. 2026
Dadonov has played just five games due to injury, and the club’s limited cap flexibility appears to have constrained its ability to take bigger swings.
—Harman Dayal, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
Similar to other great powers, the United States has long looked at its near-abroad at its exclusive domain, where the influence of geopolitical competitors must be constrained to the maximum extent possible.
—Daniel Depetris, Chicago Tribune, 6 Jan. 2026
By realizing a novel high-density operating scheme on EAST, the team demonstrated that plasma density, long constrained by empirical limits in tokamak operation, can be substantially extended without triggering disruptive instabilities.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 2 Jan. 2026
Most of the current research is constrained to animals, and those involving humans are typically small and of poor quality.
—Md Published, Verywell Health, 26 Dec. 2025
European clubs are not constrained by the same spending limits.
—Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 16 Dec. 2025
The piece required the entire radius of Hsieh’s life to be constrained by the clock.
—Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 7 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for constrained
Adjective
-
His multicourse omakase shows off the chef’s restrained minimalist Edomae style and love of aged fish.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
13 Jan. 2026
-
In response, Watson has pushed for a more restrained budget process, tighter oversight of city finances and a systemwide evaluation of how City Hall delivers services — all aimed at restoring transparency and credibility.—
Austin American Statesman,
Austin American Statesman,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Given rising trade tensions and the likely unsustainable strength in the export sector, Beijing might eventually be compelled to ramp up its policy measures significantly.—
Evelyn Cheng,
CNBC,
9 Jan. 2026
-
You might be compelled to flirt with the visible lingerie trend or pair a new faux fur coat with tall Uggs.—
Maressa Brown,
InStyle,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The protests initially centered on economic grievances but have since evolved into a broader movement against the regime that has controlled Iran for decades.—
Mitchell McCluskey,
CNN Money,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Demonstrators said daily life in Iran is tightly controlled by the government.—
Da Lin,
CBS News,
12 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
With temperatures climbing above freezing and sunny skies melting half the structure, they were forced to start over entirely.—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
14 Jan. 2026
-
Twenty-two people — two civilians and 20 firefighters — were injured and thousands were forced to evacuate.—
Claire Wang,
Oc Register,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
There’s a kind of social contract under which utilities operate essentially as monopolies to provide a public service and in exchange are regulated.—
Judith Kohler,
Denver Post,
7 Jan. 2026
-
The devices measure pollutants regulated by the EPA, including nitrogen oxides, ozone and particulate matter from sources like gas turbines, factories and heavy traffic.—
Jack Armstrong,
Memphis Commercial Appeal,
6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The more involved Jana becomes, the more she is forced to confront her past and her repressed memories.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
8 Jan. 2026
-
To me, Betsy is a repressed housewife who is trying to make it as a musician.—
Brett Milano,
Boston Herald,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
How was Twitter to plainly determine whether an amateur pornographic video featured a sixteen-year-old or an eighteen-year-old, or if that video was consensually produced or violently coerced?—
Brady Brickner-Wood,
New Yorker,
14 Jan. 2026
-
Workers the administration couldn’t fire were coerced into leaving on their own.—
Franklin Foer,
The Atlantic,
11 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Constrained.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/constrained. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
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