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
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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
1
as in compelled
to cause (a person) to give in to pressure
constrained by conscience to tell only the truth
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Ken Silverstein, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
The combination of limited production capacity and expensive weapons sometimes constrained the government’s options.
—Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 14 July 2025
All of that allowed Charlie to remain the focus of the series’ concept of right and wrong, and pivoted her into new relationships rather than constraining her too much to Agent Luca.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 10 July 2025
Should demand rise unexpectedly or supply disruptions occur, the current low rig count could constrain the ability to ramp up production quickly.
—Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 July 2025
The players contend this framework violates antitrust law by constraining the market for athletic services offered by D-I football to former JUCO football players.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 9 July 2025
But an economic slowdown appears to be constraining the bank’s ability to tighten policy.
—Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 8 July 2025
But the agreement was only temporary, did nothing to constrain Iran’s broader destabilizing behavior, and gave the regime new sources of revenue.
—James Jeffrey, Foreign Affairs, 4 July 2025
Netflix’s emphasis on extensive pre-production planning and robust post-production work represents a significant shift for an industry previously constrained by tight broadcast schedules and limited resources.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 2 July 2025
Christian MacEdonia, The Conversation, 3 Jan. 2025
Even constrained by the low initial altitude, the toss method helps keep Ukrainian jets outside the range of Russia’s most dangerous surface-to-air missile batteries.
—David Axe, Forbes, 2 Jan. 2025
However, adults often stop asking as much, constrained by fear of judgment, rigid workplace expectations, or prioritization of efficiency.
—Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes, 2 Jan. 2025
Dipping oil isn’t constrained to bread.
—Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 30 Dec. 2024
As the problem grows worse, leaders constrained by political considerations keep eking out piecemeal solutions.
—Justin Worland, TIME, 26 Dec. 2024
These systems not only help to reduce the cost for the client and law firm, but also make legal services more accessible to those who might be resource constrained.
—Ron Schmelzer, Forbes, 26 Dec. 2024
This approach helps maximize the utility of a limited number of qubits, especially given that quantum hardware is currently constrained in scale.
—Yuval Boger, Forbes, 26 Dec. 2024
But the reality was that choices were constrained, communication was sparse and most employees opted for the same plan year after year.
—Tim Pratte, Forbes, 26 Dec. 2024
Verb
Undermining green energy growth removes one of gas’s most important allies—and, paradoxically, could constrain its future.
—Ken Silverstein, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
The combination of limited production capacity and expensive weapons sometimes constrained the government’s options.
—Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 14 July 2025
All of that allowed Charlie to remain the focus of the series’ concept of right and wrong, and pivoted her into new relationships rather than constraining her too much to Agent Luca.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 10 July 2025
Should demand rise unexpectedly or supply disruptions occur, the current low rig count could constrain the ability to ramp up production quickly.
—Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 July 2025
The players contend this framework violates antitrust law by constraining the market for athletic services offered by D-I football to former JUCO football players.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 9 July 2025
But an economic slowdown appears to be constraining the bank’s ability to tighten policy.
—Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 8 July 2025
But the agreement was only temporary, did nothing to constrain Iran’s broader destabilizing behavior, and gave the regime new sources of revenue.
—James Jeffrey, Foreign Affairs, 4 July 2025
Netflix’s emphasis on extensive pre-production planning and robust post-production work represents a significant shift for an industry previously constrained by tight broadcast schedules and limited resources.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 2 July 2025
Adjective
Unlike other fields that have large, high-quality datasets available to train AI models, such as image analysis and language processing, the AI in drug development is constrained by small, low-quality datasets.
—Christian MacEdonia, The Conversation, 3 Jan. 2025
Even constrained by the low initial altitude, the toss method helps keep Ukrainian jets outside the range of Russia’s most dangerous surface-to-air missile batteries.
—David Axe, Forbes, 2 Jan. 2025
However, adults often stop asking as much, constrained by fear of judgment, rigid workplace expectations, or prioritization of efficiency.
—Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes, 2 Jan. 2025
Dipping oil isn’t constrained to bread.
—Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 30 Dec. 2024
As the problem grows worse, leaders constrained by political considerations keep eking out piecemeal solutions.
—Justin Worland, TIME, 26 Dec. 2024
These systems not only help to reduce the cost for the client and law firm, but also make legal services more accessible to those who might be resource constrained.
—Ron Schmelzer, Forbes, 26 Dec. 2024
This approach helps maximize the utility of a limited number of qubits, especially given that quantum hardware is currently constrained in scale.
—Yuval Boger, Forbes, 26 Dec. 2024
But the reality was that choices were constrained, communication was sparse and most employees opted for the same plan year after year.
—Tim Pratte, Forbes, 26 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for constrained
Adjective
-
These moves have prompted concern among segments of Trump's base supportive of a restrained international role, raising questions about the administration's direction ahead of a crucial 2026 midterm election cycle.—
Nick Mordowanec,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 July 2025
-
As Rick, Goggins got to show longtime fans and incoming members of his fan club a rarer side of the actor: quiet, restrained, in deep amounts of unspoken pain.—
Josh Wigler,
HollywoodReporter,
8 July 2025
Adjective
-
Wimbledon is a tournament that brings those repressed emotions to the fore, win or lose.—
Tim Ellis,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
-
Most recently, protests about Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian woman who died after being taken into police custody for not wearing a headscarf, were brutally repressed.—
NBC News,
NBC news,
21 June 2025
Adjective
-
This move is part of CEO Andy Jassy’s broader push for a more disciplined and cohesive workforce, writes Fortune‘s Jason Del Rey.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
3 July 2025
-
Expansion should be driven not just by ambition, but by timing, market traction and disciplined execution.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2025
Adjective
-
An orderly Italian known for his precision and Alpine reserve against a passionate Spaniard.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
29 June 2025
-
The streets were clean, well lit, and—traffic aside—surprisingly orderly.—
Kian Tajbakhsh,
The Atlantic,
27 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Constrained.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/constrained. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
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