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
Starre Vartan, CNN Money, 16 Dec. 2025
Toddlers and babies especially might especially appreciate a break from their constricting seat, and a change in scenery, by talking a walk up and down the aisles with mom or dad.
—Sherri Gordon, Parents, 23 Oct. 2025
Its space is at once endless and constricting.
—Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2025
Wildlife art can be confining, constricting, customary; contemporary artists are assuring its survival and vibrancy by breaking from the traditional.
—Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 26 Jan. 2026
Frostbite occurs due to your blood vessels constricting due to the cold.
—Ron Smiley, CBS News, 20 Jan. 2026
The long-sleeve top has a close fit without being constricting, and the wide-leg sweatpants have a drawstring waistband and two side pockets.
—Isabel Garcia, PEOPLE, 18 Jan. 2026
Eating too much saturated fat can raise your cholesterol, a waxy substance that can build up in your arteries, narrowing and constricting them, and affecting blood flow.
—Sarah Bence, Verywell Health, 15 Jan. 2026
Designed with mild compression (8-15 mmHg), these won’t feel as constricting as socks with higher support, which might be preferred by some travelers.
—Jillian Dara, Travel + Leisure, 11 Jan. 2026
To prevent that, the body responds by constricting blood vessels and pumping your heart harder and faster.
—Alex Hutchinson, Outside, 15 Dec. 2025
While the underlying cause of blemishes and cystic acne is bacteria, a dose of chill can help relieve pain and decrease inflammation by constricting the blood vessels.
—Lauren Valenti, Vogue, 12 Dec. 2025
Make sure to swim in the waters off Princess Margaret Beach, where the late British royal would come to escape the socially constricting confines of Mustique island.
—Mark Ellwood, AFAR Media, 7 Nov. 2025
Noun
Howard and her team got the company to redesign the uniform after about a year of trying, swapping the constricting top for a looser one.
—Starre Vartan, CNN Money, 16 Dec. 2025
Toddlers and babies especially might especially appreciate a break from their constricting seat, and a change in scenery, by talking a walk up and down the aisles with mom or dad.
—Sherri Gordon, Parents, 23 Oct. 2025
Its space is at once endless and constricting.
—Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2025
Wildlife art can be confining, constricting, customary; contemporary artists are assuring its survival and vibrancy by breaking from the traditional.
—Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
Verb
The downside is that following instructions or tutorials may feel unusually constricting.
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 26 Jan. 2026
Frostbite occurs due to your blood vessels constricting due to the cold.
—Ron Smiley, CBS News, 20 Jan. 2026
The long-sleeve top has a close fit without being constricting, and the wide-leg sweatpants have a drawstring waistband and two side pockets.
—Isabel Garcia, PEOPLE, 18 Jan. 2026
Eating too much saturated fat can raise your cholesterol, a waxy substance that can build up in your arteries, narrowing and constricting them, and affecting blood flow.
—Sarah Bence, Verywell Health, 15 Jan. 2026
Designed with mild compression (8-15 mmHg), these won’t feel as constricting as socks with higher support, which might be preferred by some travelers.
—Jillian Dara, Travel + Leisure, 11 Jan. 2026
To prevent that, the body responds by constricting blood vessels and pumping your heart harder and faster.
—Alex Hutchinson, Outside, 15 Dec. 2025
While the underlying cause of blemishes and cystic acne is bacteria, a dose of chill can help relieve pain and decrease inflammation by constricting the blood vessels.
—Lauren Valenti, Vogue, 12 Dec. 2025
Make sure to swim in the waters off Princess Margaret Beach, where the late British royal would come to escape the socially constricting confines of Mustique island.
—Mark Ellwood, AFAR Media, 7 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for constricting
Noun
-
Hassan’s team instead squeezed a photon’s intensity and demonstrated real-time control, fluctuating between intensity and phase-squeezing by adjusting the silica’s position relative to the beams.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
That legacy hasn’t disappeared, but it is increasingly strained under the weight of rising needs and shrinking staff capacity.—
Patrick Mahoney,
Sun Sentinel,
1 Feb. 2026
-
But shares in open float have been shrinking.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Instead of compressing observations into still images, RIMS preserves time-dependent information and separates radio signals by direction.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Such tests could be used in research toward compressing a core of uranium with explosives — something that is needed for an implosion-style nuclear weapon.—
Jon Gambrell,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Shares are battling multiple compression as investors grow less willing to pay a premium for each dollar of earnings.—
Natasha Abellard,
CNBC,
30 Jan. 2026
-
This is precisely what has occurred with SAP—multiple compression.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
And while the 3rd Gen also requires the separate Nest app, the 4th Gen offers full functionality and control in the Google Home app, condensing all of your smart home devices into one hub.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Anyone who’s survived to 2026 knows the upper class’ fictitious fantasies still carry real, wretched consequences for the rest of us, but Season 4 plays out those ongoing scenarios to the nth degree, while condensing them into an appreciable narrative arc.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
11 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Their mid-rise waistband means no tummy constriction, and the loose legs offer plenty of room to trounce around the terminal without feeling cramped.—
Annie Blackman,
InStyle,
24 Jan. 2026
-
Then came the explosion of streamers followed by a constriction.—
Mia Galuppo,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The biggest shift in the financial model of newspapers that has occurred in the transition from print to digital is a decreasing reliance on advertising and an increasing reliance on direct payments from subscribers.—
Hanna Rosin,
The Atlantic,
5 Feb. 2026
-
The formulation hits all the targets my tired eyes crave—brightening dark circles, decreasing puffiness, and reducing the look of fine lines.—
Cathy Nelson,
InStyle,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Public Health staff warned that anyone at the restaurant on that date and time may be at risk of contracting measles 7-21 days after exposure.—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
3 Feb. 2026
-
The Senate Appropriations Committee amended the bill to remove the authority’s goal of 15% participation by minority businesses and 5% participation from women’s businesses to participate in the procurement and contracting process.—
Michelle L. Quinn,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Constricting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/constricting. Accessed 7 Feb. 2026.
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