CONSTRICTS Synonyms: 59 Similar and Opposite Words

constricts

verb

present tense third-person singular of constrict

as in shrinks

to become smaller in size or volume through the drawing together of particles of matter the vessel constricted, thereby reducing the flow of blood

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in compresses

to reduce in size or volume by or as if by pressing parts or members together constricted the opening with a clamp

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 constricts The coldness of the water constricts arteries, requiring the heart to work harder than normal to function. —

Saleen Martin, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2026 This means giving up the exalted and exaggerated idea of the West that boosts a masculinist self-image but severely constricts thought and feeling. —

Christine Smallwood, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026 The psychic and physical toll of white supremacy, sustained cruelty, imprisonment, famine, poverty, depression, grief, or illness constricts one’s depth of imagination and movement. —

Literary Hub, 19 Feb. 2026 That’s because the physical exertion of shoveling increases heart rate and blood pressure, while at the same time the cold constricts blood vessels–a double whammy of stressors. —

Amy Feldman, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026 Breathing in cold air constricts blood vessels, which elevates blood pressure and narrows coronary arteries, increasing the risk of cardiac strain. —

Manahil Ahmad, The Providence Journal, 25 Jan. 2026 Breathing in cold air constricts blood vessels, which elevates blood pressure and narrows coronary arteries, increasing the risk of cardiac strain. —

Kaycee Sloan, Cincinnati Enquirer, 23 Jan. 2026 Cold water immersion constricts blood vessels, reduces swelling, numbs sore areas, and flushes lactic acid from the muscles. —

Outside, 10 Dec. 2025 Without this process, the air would be colder and drier, which irritates and constricts the airways and can lead to inflammation. —

Sarah Philip, Popular Science, 4 Dec. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for constricts

Verb

The Miniature Wife Elizabeth Banks and Matthew Macfadyen star in this dramedy about an egocentric scientist on the verge of a breakthrough who accidentally shrinks his wife, a Pulitzer-winning author who hasn’t written a lick in more than a decade.

— Rebecca Aizin, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 2026
As the labor force shrinks, economic output and tax revenues may contract while demand for pensions, healthcare, and social security rises—a financial burden that will be borne by an increasingly smaller workforce.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 Apr. 2026