1
as in regulates
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 seizes
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 restrains
At certain points in the novel, that distance calcifies and restrains his writing.
—
Taran Dugal, New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2026
And most of the officials agreed that the Fed’s key rate is close to a level that neither stimulates nor restrains the economy.
—Christopher Rugaber, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
According to projections made at the December meeting, that’s only about half a percentage point from the committee consensus on the neutral rate, or one that neither supports nor restrains growth.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 5 Jan. 2026
There are also possible free speech claims if the law restrains NIL opportunities and interferes with First Amendment freedom of expression.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 9 Dec. 2025
Video shows the moment an officer in camouflage and tactical gear approaches an individual, after which another officer tackles the person, restrains them with plastic handcuffs, and leads them away.
—Hanna Park, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2025
In the footage, a Border Patrol agent is shown holding one man with his forearm across a man’s neck – and later, an FHP officer restrains the man who is tased, grabbing him around the neck area while the man is doubled down.
—Syra Ortiz-Blanes, Miami Herald, 9 Aug. 2025
Taran Dugal, New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2026
And most of the officials agreed that the Fed’s key rate is close to a level that neither stimulates nor restrains the economy.
—Christopher Rugaber, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
According to projections made at the December meeting, that’s only about half a percentage point from the committee consensus on the neutral rate, or one that neither supports nor restrains growth.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 5 Jan. 2026
There are also possible free speech claims if the law restrains NIL opportunities and interferes with First Amendment freedom of expression.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 9 Dec. 2025
Video shows the moment an officer in camouflage and tactical gear approaches an individual, after which another officer tackles the person, restrains them with plastic handcuffs, and leads them away.
—Hanna Park, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2025
In the footage, a Border Patrol agent is shown holding one man with his forearm across a man’s neck – and later, an FHP officer restrains the man who is tased, grabbing him around the neck area while the man is doubled down.
—Syra Ortiz-Blanes, Miami Herald, 9 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for restrains
Verb
-
Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood sugar.—
Merve Ceylan,
Health,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Prasad's time as the FDA's top vaccine and biotech regulator has been marked by a series of similar disputes with the companies the agency regulates.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Unfortunately, though, she’s still possessed by the spirit of Mary Shelley, whose voice seizes her body with tiresome frequency.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Now, her family must reckon with the consequences as Agnes van Rhijn (Christine Baranski) seizes an opportunity to regain her position.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Dark red markings on a gray panel, meanwhile, typically indicate that the ammunition contains an irritant or riot-control agent.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Her Amazon cart contains the ageless, expensive-looking building blocks of any cool girl’s closet.—
Annie Blackman,
InStyle,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The Department of Damage Control arrests Trevor.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The sheer scale of an estate for sale in San Francisco’s tony Pacific Heights neighborhood — a residence spanning 26,000 square feet, or the equivalent of 10 average homes — arrests the imagination.—
David Caraccio,
Sacbee.com,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Barber then grabs her firearm from her vehicle and Riley's girlfriend also retrieves an item from the vehicle, according to the complaint.—
Drake Bentley,
jsonline.com,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Isabelle slides off Sarah’s lap, flings the towel, pulls on her swimming mask, grabs her mom’s hand and tugs her toward the pool.—
Gerald Witt,
AJC.com,
1 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Ryan Coogler’s screenplay keeps every one of its promises.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
-
And as lawyers continue reviewing records one case at a time, advocates say the clock keeps ticking, not just on legal filings, but on the lives of families who may never see those cases resolved.—
Laura Rodríguez Presa,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Neighbors are now living in fear, looking on as ICE apprehends people of color across Minnesota.—
Jason Rantala,
CBS News,
19 Jan. 2026
-
The team successfully seizes two tons of gold and apprehends the leader of the criminal network.—
Isabella Wandermurem,
Time,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The team from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), working with scientists from The Ohio State University and Amphenol Corporation found that the new method controls heat flow in solid materials by using an electric field.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Pezeshkian's message, seemingly recorded in a hurry, underlined the limited powers exercised by the theocracy's leaders over the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, which controls the hundreds of ballistic missiles targeting Israel and other countries.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Restrains.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/restrains. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
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