constrained 1 of 2

constrained

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verb

past tense of constrain

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of constrained
Adjective
Few industries are trying to deploy so much capital, build so much infrastructure and expand so rapidly against such a constrained skills base. Elena Bou, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026 High oil prices due to the standoff in the Strait of Hormuz granted Putin a temporary reprieve, but a labor shortage and constrained manufacturing capacity have complicated the Kremlin’s hopes of funneling more money into its defense sector. Tristan Bove, Fortune, 30 June 2026 Vessels need to be extraordinarily careful navigating such constrained channels. David Goldman, CNN Money, 15 June 2026 Dell’s higher 2027 revenue guidance was the result of greater demand for DRAM and NAND chips, combined with constrained supply, said Katherine Murphy at Goldman Sachs. Tobias Burns, CNBC, 1 June 2026 It is being shaped by constrained supply, external shocks, and a new level of buyer urgency that is fundamentally altering decision-making. Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 13 May 2026
Verb
Heading into the 2024 election, Hanania maintained that Trump would be constrained by the people around him, despite the abundant evidence to the contrary. Gilad Edelman, The Atlantic, 19 July 2026 The city also is constrained in taxing because about 1,500 properties — including state offices, hospitals and religious institutions — are exempt from paying local property taxes. Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 19 July 2026 His ability to implement policies aimed at boosting economic growth — such as reindustrialization, building more social housing and taking greater public control of utilities — will also be severely constrained by weak government finances. Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 18 July 2026 The result — more non-essential referrals to specialists who are also capacity constrained. Torie Bosch, STAT, 18 July 2026 Conventional scuba divers are constrained by strict depth and decompression limits, so a significant portion of every dive is spent descending, ascending, and waiting to return safely to the surface. New Atlas, 18 July 2026 Ultimately, Beijing is most constrained by its own fear of ceding control over capital resources. Anniek Bao, CNBC, 16 July 2026 The supply of oil is more constrained than ever, but its price is nowhere near peak pessimism. Jim Edwards, Fortune, 16 July 2026 These models are typically not trained on or constrained by explicit physics rules, data, or simulations—remember, the bitter lesson. ArsTechnica, 13 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for constrained
Adjective
  • Where Heron feels restrained and almost surgical, Hornbill is shaped for users who want more contact with the handle, more leverage through the cut, and a stronger physical presence without moving into oversized tactical-knife territory.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 21 July 2026
  • Drewchin operates in this more restrained mode throughout the record, peeling back the layers of her dizzying art pop.
    Colin Joyce, Pitchfork, 20 July 2026
Verb
  • The prospect of lining up next to one of his few contemporary peers compelled the now-35-year-old Donald to begin an extensive workout program aimed at returning him to football shape.
    ABC News, ABC News, 25 July 2026
  • That’s true insofar as many other events Bank of America Stadium has compelled as of late — including the MLS All-Star Game, which will take place at the uptown venue next week.
    Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 24 July 2026
Verb
  • Fourteen of Freedom Fuel’s 25 locations are controlled by companies linked to Shamikh and Syed Kazmi, eight of which are leased from the investment firm Blue Owl Capital, the Associated Press reported.
    Ty Roush, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • Unlike conventional drone operations, where individual aircraft are controlled separately, swarms are designed to allow multiple unmanned systems to coordinate, share information, adapt to battlefield conditions, and carry out missions collectively.
    Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 21 July 2026
Adjective
  • Both players were so inhibited for the final game of the set that the level of play resembled something from a local park.
    Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 27 May 2026
  • This really is a time to be less inhibited about going out.
    Joe Hernandez, NPR, 25 May 2026
Verb
  • In central Spain, 60,000 were forced from their homes, according to the Spanish interior ministry.
    ABC News, ABC News, 25 July 2026
  • Paramount could be forced to sell off the WB television production business, but that isn’t worth nearly as much without the studio and the connected library of titles and IP.
    Rick Ellis, Forbes.com, 25 July 2026
Verb
  • While Kalshi isn’t legally considered a gambling platform, as the app is regulated like commodity trading, multiple states have filed lawsuits to enforce gaming laws.
    Glenn Garner, Deadline, 24 July 2026
  • The number of restaurants in the area is not regulated, and restaurants already are allowed to sell alcohol, according to the staff report.
    Camryn Dadey, Sacbee.com, 23 July 2026
Adjective
  • The film is said to follow a repressed philosophy professor who has been grappling with lingering guilt over a decision from his past when the victim suddenly returns to his life.
    Zac Ntim, Deadline, 23 July 2026
  • These effects reflect what’s currently active in the mind, not necessarily hidden or repressed thoughts.
    Karen Stollznow, The Conversation, 14 July 2026
Verb
  • Some innocents are coerced into false confessions, like what happened to the Central Park Five.
    Rene Denfeld, PEOPLE, 21 July 2026
  • Sinon grows up as a young man off at war that is coerced by Odysseus to sacrifice themself at the hand of the Trojans, while convincing them into accepting the wooden horse as a gift.
    Jon Root OutKick, FOXNews.com, 17 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Constrained.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/constrained. Accessed 27 Jul. 2026.

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