1
as in controlling
to keep from exceeding a desirable degree or level (as of expression)
the victim's family members were unable to restrain their emotions upon hearing the verdict
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in arresting
to take or keep under one's control by authority of law
the suspect was restrained and taken to an undisclosed location
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of restraining
Deputies Christian Anderson, Zachary Dalton, Christopher Bearss, Kristin Harris and Miguel Espinoza were involved in restraining Camacho.
—
Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Jan. 2026
Last week, videos ricocheted across social media showing federal immigration agents restraining a man inside a Walmart in Minnesota and detaining individuals at the entrance of a Target.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 21 Jan. 2026
To him, the beloved community was never simply about restraining harm or condemning injustice after the fact.
—Deborah Archer, Time, 19 Jan. 2026
In surveillance video, Laumann can be seen holding Stingley in a chokehold while the other two men aided in restraining him.
—Megan O’Matz, ProPublica, 16 Jan. 2026
Leaders focused on restraining power more than adopting strategies that were focused on winning.
—David A. Deptula, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026
According to the sheriff’s office, Keisler secured the emu using a makeshift lasso before restraining its legs to stop it from kicking.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 15 Jan. 2026
The lawsuit seeks a temporary restraining order preventing the board and Cavin from taking any further action in their cases, as well as an injunction restraining Cavin and the board from discriminating against, or retaliating against, Mejia and Smith.
—Clark Kauffman, Des Moines Register, 14 Jan. 2026
Congress appears utterly incapable of restraining the Administration’s adventurism, and condemnation from foreign leaders seems only to add new names to the list of America’s enemies.
—Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2026
Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Jan. 2026
Last week, videos ricocheted across social media showing federal immigration agents restraining a man inside a Walmart in Minnesota and detaining individuals at the entrance of a Target.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 21 Jan. 2026
To him, the beloved community was never simply about restraining harm or condemning injustice after the fact.
—Deborah Archer, Time, 19 Jan. 2026
In surveillance video, Laumann can be seen holding Stingley in a chokehold while the other two men aided in restraining him.
—Megan O’Matz, ProPublica, 16 Jan. 2026
Leaders focused on restraining power more than adopting strategies that were focused on winning.
—David A. Deptula, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026
According to the sheriff’s office, Keisler secured the emu using a makeshift lasso before restraining its legs to stop it from kicking.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 15 Jan. 2026
The lawsuit seeks a temporary restraining order preventing the board and Cavin from taking any further action in their cases, as well as an injunction restraining Cavin and the board from discriminating against, or retaliating against, Mejia and Smith.
—Clark Kauffman, Des Moines Register, 14 Jan. 2026
Congress appears utterly incapable of restraining the Administration’s adventurism, and condemnation from foreign leaders seems only to add new names to the list of America’s enemies.
—Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for restraining
Verb
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Your husband appears to be more than a little controlling by attempting to tell you how to spend your free time.—
Jeanne Phillips,
Mercury News,
24 Jan. 2026
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Investors in this study include everything from giant companies controlling thousands of houses to folks with a small collection of rentals to short-term rental operators to people with a second home.—
Jonathan Lansner,
Oc Register,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Krasner noted immigration agents have been keeping tabs on courthouse proceedings, targeting and arresting people usually just outside the buildings.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
29 Jan. 2026
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That was the campaign promise, but the reality this past year has been far different with the obvious and well-documented fact that ICE has been trawling around arresting people based on looks or accents or location.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The website says that some states have laws that prohibit driving with snow on your car, or have laws regulating it.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
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The result is a denim that retains the sustainability benefits and high moisture regulating properties of Tencel but with a more authentic cotton-like appearance.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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But seizing current oil production is one thing; overhauling Venezuela's entire oil industry would be another.—
Camila Domonoske,
NPR,
7 Jan. 2026
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Trump has occasionally discussed seizing Greenland since his first term but few initially took his threats seriously.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The restriction is part of a broader raft of measures aimed at curbing federal immigration enforcement in the state.—
Claire Carter,
The Washington Examiner,
29 Jan. 2026
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India has made progress on curbing buys of Russian crude, but still has work to do to satisfy US concerns.—
Josh Wingrove,
Bloomberg,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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SpaceX was also famously involved in funding and operating the headline-grabbing Polaris Dawn crewed commercial mission in September 2024.—
Eric Lagatta,
AZCentral.com,
23 Jan. 2026
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Rene Arturo Lujan, 43, admitted to grabbing two girls on June 18 and June 20, 2024, leading to his arrest roughly two hours after the second kidnapping attempt.—
City News Service,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The light is then guided using ultra-precise mirrors and reflected off a mask containing the pattern for one layer of the chip, which is then shrunk and projected onto a silicon wafer.—
Kai Nicol-Schwarz,
CNBC,
29 Jan. 2026
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There are protections in the bill against releasing images containing personally identifying or other sensitive information.—
Meghan O’Brien,
States Newsroom,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Protesters in Minneapolis have since flooded the streets in the thousands, and ICE agents have responded by apprehending some, shoving others to the ground, and spraying chemical irritants in their faces.—
Elizabeth Bruenig,
The Atlantic,
10 Jan. 2026
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While our immigration enforcement should be focused on apprehending and prosecuting violent criminals to make our communities safer, these ICE actions are doing the opposite and making our state less safe.—
WCCO Staff,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Restraining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/restraining. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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