as in squeezing
the act or process of reducing the size or volume of something by or as if by pressing
the constant constricting of the animal's throat had caused permanent damage
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in shrinking
to become smaller in size or volume through the drawing together of particles of matter
the vessel constricted, thereby reducing the flow of blood
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in compressing
to reduce in size or volume by or as if by pressing parts or members together
constricted the opening with a clamp
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of constricting
Clint Davis, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Dec. 2024
But his refusal to adhere to facts isn’t constricting.
—Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 25 Dec. 2024
The subtly stretchy fabric had the right amount of flexible elastane to achieve a close fit that never felt constricting (but was too loose on a tester with a small head).
—Mark Eller, Outside Online, 13 Dec. 2024
The political climate is constricting daily.
—Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 6 Dec. 2024
The exclusive club is more of a constricting prison.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 5 Dec. 2024
Aid groups complain that Israel has been constricting the flow of food into Gaza; Israel counters that aid has piled up on the Gaza side of the border without distribution.
—Eugene Kontorovich, The Atlantic, 27 Nov. 2024
The son, Antonio, had constricting epilepsy.
—Emiliano Tahui Gómez, Austin American-Statesman, 24 Nov. 2024
With a loose fit and ribbed cuffs on the sleeves, the sweatshirt is the perfect snuggly topper, while the shorts aren’t tight or constricting, ideal for travel and the plane.
—Samantha Leal, Travel + Leisure, 22 Nov. 2024
Verb
The crossbody bag option, meanwhile, is less constricting and makes a stylish statement piece on top of any casual outfit.
—Clint Davis, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Dec. 2024
But his refusal to adhere to facts isn’t constricting.
—Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 25 Dec. 2024
The subtly stretchy fabric had the right amount of flexible elastane to achieve a close fit that never felt constricting (but was too loose on a tester with a small head).
—Mark Eller, Outside Online, 13 Dec. 2024
The political climate is constricting daily.
—Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 6 Dec. 2024
The exclusive club is more of a constricting prison.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 5 Dec. 2024
Aid groups complain that Israel has been constricting the flow of food into Gaza; Israel counters that aid has piled up on the Gaza side of the border without distribution.
—Eugene Kontorovich, The Atlantic, 27 Nov. 2024
The son, Antonio, had constricting epilepsy.
—Emiliano Tahui Gómez, Austin American-Statesman, 24 Nov. 2024
With a loose fit and ribbed cuffs on the sleeves, the sweatshirt is the perfect snuggly topper, while the shorts aren’t tight or constricting, ideal for travel and the plane.
—Samantha Leal, Travel + Leisure, 22 Nov. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for constricting
Verb
-
The pool of available CPAs has been shrinking as Baby Boomers and some Gen Xers retire.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes,
24 Dec. 2024
-
Mature markets like California, Colorado, and Oregon are shrinking in sales and tax revenue.—
Andrew DeAngelo,
Forbes,
24 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
United sent Heaven a Game Ready compression boot to wear at home to aid recovery, which Lisa filled with ice each day.—
Laurie Whitwell,
New York Times,
10 July 2025
-
Kyle Richards found the ultimate hack for staying organized and optimizing suitcase space while traveling: compression packing cubes.—
PEOPLE Deals Team,
People.com,
10 July 2025
Noun
-
But labor force growth was capped by constriction in several sectors.—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
3 July 2025
-
There’s a satisfying constriction in these which feels immersive to me as a reader, and as a writer affords the space to fixate on minutia that might not be appropriate in something more expansive.—
Jane Ciabattari
June 24,
Literary Hub,
24 June 2025
Noun
-
Some use a full ounce of lime juice, others use just a squeeze, while a few eschew it altogether.—
Jeremy Repanich,
Robb Report,
11 July 2025
-
Folding legs instantly transform the car seat into a stroller with a simple squeeze of the handle.—
Chaunie Brusie,
Parents,
8 July 2025
Noun
-
With that in mind, August is supposed to see the same 11.8 percent month-over-month decline from July to 2.08 million TEUs, with a 10.4 percent contraction from last year’s totals.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
10 July 2025
-
Additional tariffs would further hurt these two exports-dependent economies that are grappling with a slowdown in growth, with Japan likely staring at a technical recession, or two straight quarters of economic contraction.—
Lim Hui Jie,
CNBC,
9 July 2025
Noun
-
Cloud seeding is when clouds are injected with a compound, like silver iodide, that act as condensation or ice nuclei in an attempt to help stimulate and boost rainfall or snowfall, according to Britannica.—
Joyce Orlando,
The Tennessean,
10 July 2025
-
The mesoscale conductive vortex essentially spun the remnants of a tropical system, causing significant ascent or rising motion to activate that moisture into condensation and precipitation in an efficient manner, according to Shepherd.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Constricting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/constricting. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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