1
as in discipline
the checking of one's true feelings and impulses when dealing with others
it will take a great deal of restraint to keep from telling her how ugly that dress is
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in restriction
something that limits one's freedom of action or choice
civil libertarians contend that the new laws place too many restraints on our constitutionally guaranteed rights
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in temperance
the power to control one's actions, impulses, or emotions
he shows very little restraint or tact when expressing his opinions about others
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of restraint
What is unsettling today is how easily modern leaders still reach for religious language to evade restraint, and how fragile the institutions meant to check them can appear.
—
Joëlle Rollo-Koster, Fortune, 15 Apr. 2026
Owners are urged to take their vehicles to the dealership to get the supplemental restraint system (SRS) electronic control unit (ECU) replaced or reprogrammed for free.
—Taylor Ardrey, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
The type of restraint depends on the child’s age and size, ranging from rear-facing car seats for babies to booster seats for older children.
—Ethan Stone, Miami Herald, 15 Apr. 2026
Chad Bianco couldn’t answer a few simple questions from me without becoming angry and yelling out of frustration, demonstrating all of the restraint of a pubescent boy.
—Rafael Perez, Oc Register, 14 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for restraint
Joëlle Rollo-Koster, Fortune, 15 Apr. 2026
Owners are urged to take their vehicles to the dealership to get the supplemental restraint system (SRS) electronic control unit (ECU) replaced or reprogrammed for free.
—Taylor Ardrey, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
The type of restraint depends on the child’s age and size, ranging from rear-facing car seats for babies to booster seats for older children.
—Ethan Stone, Miami Herald, 15 Apr. 2026
Chad Bianco couldn’t answer a few simple questions from me without becoming angry and yelling out of frustration, demonstrating all of the restraint of a pubescent boy.
—Rafael Perez, Oc Register, 14 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for restraint
Recent Examples of Synonyms for restraint
Noun
-
The fellows dealt with disciplines ranging from social work, nursing and public health, geography, architecture, performance studies, and art.—
Maximilíano Durón,
ARTnews.com,
14 Apr. 2026
-
The Mule discipline, which has been drawing particular attention, involves robotic systems transporting equipment and supplies.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch denounced a sustained crackdown on dissent under Talon, citing arbitrary detentions, tighter restrictions on public demonstrations and mounting pressure on independent media outlets.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Apr. 2026
-
The United States eased some restrictions on sales of Russian crude imposed over its war against Ukraine, allowing countries to purchase oil that was already at sea until April 11.—
Brian Dakss,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The temperance, abolition, and civil-rights movements in America were all motivated in part by religious convictions.—
Luis Parrales,
The Atlantic,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Then, strong reform and radical movements to abolish slavery and to advocate for world peace, temperance, and women’s suffrage flourished.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The political controversy Thursday coincided with a day of repression in Caracas.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The choice Iran faces If Iran’s leadership uses this moment only to consolidate power, intensify repression, and sell military endurance as victory, the ceasefire will merely delay the next internal and external crisis.—
Pegah Banihashemi,
Time,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
While an Anthropic spokesperson has said publicly that the AI lab does not degrade its models to better serve demand, there are reasons to believe the company is facing more acute constraints than some rivals.—
Beatrice Nolan,
Fortune,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Our method relaxes that constraint, allowing scientists to explore materials that were not practical before.—
Andrei Derevianko,
The Conversation,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Trigger-point injections reverse the hyper-irritability of nerves by inhibiting the influx of neurochemicals and re-regulating the function of various nerves.—
Dr. Patricia Richard,
Hartford Courant,
14 Apr. 2026
-
The illness, if severe enough, can cause vision loss and nerve pain.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Whereas Phoebe lacks inhibitions, Valerie is plagued by them, and the contrasting sitcom formats of Friends (multi-cam) and The Comeback (mockumentary) call for totally different performance styles.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
6 Apr. 2026
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Each spring, otherwise reasonable home cooks lose all inhibitions at the first sight of ramps at the farmers market.—
Kelly Vaughan,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Though many have since been released, the region remains under tight control, with strict limitations on religious and cultural practices.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
What started as a temporary outdoor steakhouse in an open lot in Little River during the pandemic, was reborn as a magnificent 220-seat indoor-outdoor restaurant that is no longer subject to the whims of weather and the limitations of an outdoor kitchen.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Restraint.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/restraint. Accessed 19 Apr. 2026.
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