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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of restraint
Critic Rex Reed, who died Tuesday at 87, built his career on savage, acerbic reviews delivered with little restraint, earning a reputation as a provocateur.
—
Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
Sometimes they’re made explicit with synthesizer arpeggios, deployed with typical restraint, like neon signage flashing between passing trees at night.
—Brian Howe, Pitchfork, 12 May 2026
But where the décor favors restraint, the food chooses extravagance.
—Ligaya Mishan, New York Times, 11 May 2026
Staff put the man in restraints and took him away to decontaminate.
—Caitlin McGlade, Charlotte Observer, 11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for restraint
Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
Sometimes they’re made explicit with synthesizer arpeggios, deployed with typical restraint, like neon signage flashing between passing trees at night.
—Brian Howe, Pitchfork, 12 May 2026
But where the décor favors restraint, the food chooses extravagance.
—Ligaya Mishan, New York Times, 11 May 2026
Staff put the man in restraints and took him away to decontaminate.
—Caitlin McGlade, Charlotte Observer, 11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for restraint
Recent Examples of Synonyms for restraint
Noun
-
What begins as inspiration could become something tangible when desire and discipline move together.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 May 2026
-
Tang positioned One/Size’s commercial advantage as one of category discipline rather than breadth.—
Ritu Upadhyay,
Footwear News,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
Business travelers will find this especially frustrating, as even VPNs usually can’t break through these restrictions in the capital.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 May 2026
-
According to a survey conducted last year by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), 34 percent of museums have been hit with the cancellation of government grants or contracts and 13 percent have been subjected to new legal restrictions on diversity, equity, and inclusion activities.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
11 May 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
-
Instead of providing convenience, services and consumption, the regime only inflicts repression, intrusion and censorship.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
16 May 2026
-
The goal is not denial or emotional repression.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
Operational constraints around the stadium—safety rules, logistics workarounds, matchday procedures—lived almost entirely in the heads of a few senior staff.—
Shivaas Gulati,
Sportico.com,
12 May 2026
-
Although quite a few movies have taken place against the whirl of the Cannes Film Festival, only a handful have been shot within sanctioned festival spaces — often because of artistic, logistical and financial constraints.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
Moreover, this multi-institutional collaboration between UCHealth, CU Anschutz, Caltech, and USC seeks to restore autonomy to individuals battling spinal cord injuries, ALS, and other motor-nerve diseases.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
12 May 2026
-
But further research led him to realize that hantavirus is well-known, which somewhat calmed his nerves.—
Rebecca Cohen,
NBC news,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
Beyondthe security gates and ID checkpoints, inhibitions loosen and time flows differently.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
6 May 2026
-
This shift from inhibition to activation requires a fundamentally different toolkit — and a different kind of researcher.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The company sees slowness not as a limitation, but as a strategic asset that reduces risk, trims costs, and eases environmental impact.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
14 May 2026
-
But the Bucs don’t expect the limitation to last long.—
Rick Stroud,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Restraint.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/restraint. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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