1
as in restraint
the checking of one's true feelings and impulses when dealing with others
in civilized society people do not just say or do whatever they feel like—they exercise some constraint
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in restriction
something that limits one's freedom of action or choice
put legal constraints on the board's activities
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in pressure
the use of power to impose one's will on another
parental constraint can take several different forms, including a denial of the approval that children usually seek from their parents
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of constraint
The order facilitates research, encourages interagency coordination and creates a pathway for psychedelic therapies that have been difficult to study under existing regulatory constraints.
—
Letters To The Editor, Washington Post, 26 Apr. 2026
That strategy also reflects the relative smaller pockets of Chinese AI firms and constraints in accessing cutting-edge chips under Washington’s export controls.
—John Liu, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 2026
The official added that Iran is facing immediate logistical constraints, warning that storage capacity at Kharg Island — the country’s main oil export terminal — could be filled within days if exports remain blocked, potentially forcing production shut-ins.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
Design constraints included a maximum length of 212 inches and a weight cap of 2,750 pounds.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for constraint
Letters To The Editor, Washington Post, 26 Apr. 2026
That strategy also reflects the relative smaller pockets of Chinese AI firms and constraints in accessing cutting-edge chips under Washington’s export controls.
—John Liu, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 2026
The official added that Iran is facing immediate logistical constraints, warning that storage capacity at Kharg Island — the country’s main oil export terminal — could be filled within days if exports remain blocked, potentially forcing production shut-ins.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
Design constraints included a maximum length of 212 inches and a weight cap of 2,750 pounds.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for constraint
Recent Examples of Synonyms for constraint
Noun
-
With the world facing profound suffering and division, moral voices calling for peace, restraint and sanctity of human life deserve to be protected and amplified, not condemned.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Initially, the couple was arrested on charges of first-degree manslaughter, first-degree unlawful restraint, intentional cruelty to persons, risk of injury to a minor and conspiracy to commit risk of injury to a minor.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Suspect Cole Tomas Allen was confined to a padded cell with constant lighting and repeatedly strip-searched; the judge noted the jail houses convicted killers without such restrictions.—
Michael Kunzelman,
Los Angeles Times,
5 May 2026
-
The owner of a long-standing and once heralded senior housing project is seeking to have the age restriction removed, telling town zoning officials such a move is in keeping with shifts in the Connecticut housing market.—
Sean Krofssik,
Hartford Courant,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
Indian market opportunity, however, comes with the pressure to pivot strategy based on consumer preferences.—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
7 May 2026
-
Later, the Moon squares Mars in Aries, which can create pressure to move faster than necessary.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
The local school board would decide whether cell phones could be used during after-school activities, and the districts would set their own policies on issues such as discipline for violating the policy, lawmakers said.—
Christopher Keating,
Hartford Courant,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Both focus on human achievement, discipline and expression.—
Taylor Haught,
Kansas City Star,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana is acutely aware of the limitations of this right.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
30 Apr. 2026
-
The incentive economy seems to face similar limitations.—
Daniel Fusch,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The episodes will focus on the interview subject’s compulsion to create, an obsession for Mason who grew up with a stepfather who was a portrait artist.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
-
That last sentence springs straight from Melville’s first chapter — for him, and for Wilson, too, a schoolboy’s compulsion toward the sea is no different from an artist’s to make art.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
1 May 2026
Noun
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At the same time, Guanipa sought to reassure the audience that opposition leaders remain active inside the country despite risks and repression.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
2 May 2026
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Due to its size and the scale/quality of its repression, China stands out here.—
Nate Anderson,
ArsTechnica,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
This shift from inhibition to activation requires a fundamentally different toolkit — and a different kind of researcher.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
27 Apr. 2026
-
However, the unique culture of our city often overpowers these inhibitions, and the sight of NYPD officers patrolling as modern-day knights on horseback is a reassuring testament to that strength.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
19 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Constraint.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/constraint. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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