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
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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
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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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of restraint
As demonstrations outside an immigration enforcement facility near Chicago have ramped up over the past couple of months, so has the number of protesters being led away in restraints and facing a court date.
—
Nicquel Terry Ellis, CNN Money, 2 Nov. 2025
Lap bars, which are the primary restraint system, were found to be fully functional in multiple inspections, Gorgon said.
—Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 31 Oct. 2025
High chairs like these are expected to have an attached restraint system for children, and this particular chair was sold without one.
—Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2025
The rider tumbled and slid forward along the leftmost lane and the left shoulder as the bike did the same after the off-duty deputy bumped into him, video showed, before law enforcement officers moved in to apply restraints.
—Dennis Romero, NBC news, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for restraint
Nicquel Terry Ellis, CNN Money, 2 Nov. 2025
Lap bars, which are the primary restraint system, were found to be fully functional in multiple inspections, Gorgon said.
—Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 31 Oct. 2025
High chairs like these are expected to have an attached restraint system for children, and this particular chair was sold without one.
—Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2025
The rider tumbled and slid forward along the leftmost lane and the left shoulder as the bike did the same after the off-duty deputy bumped into him, video showed, before law enforcement officers moved in to apply restraints.
—Dennis Romero, NBC news, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for restraint
Recent Examples of Synonyms for restraint
Noun
-
Dames’ intention is to turn the headquarters into a creative hub and point of convergence of different disciplines, driven by collaborations.—
Sandra Salibian,
Footwear News,
11 Nov. 2025
-
Changing the Kremlin’s understanding of its prospects will require sustained pressure and discipline.—
Jack Watling,
Foreign Affairs,
11 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Regional restrictions may apply.—
Ben Verbrugge,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Snow suggests framing choices in terms of collaboration and care, rather than loss or restriction.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Flow Space,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Indiana is staunchly conservative, but its Republicans tend to foster a deliberate temperance.—
Isabella Volmert,
Fortune,
26 Oct. 2025
-
The temperance movement, which aimed to reduce alcohol use, gained steam in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.—
Maggie Menderski,
Louisville Courier Journal,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
These syndicates are part of the same criminal economy that funds military airstrikes and repression.—
Kim Aris,
Time,
7 Nov. 2025
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There are other signs that Iran’s previously relentless social repression is beginning to relax.—
Arash Azizi,
The Atlantic,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The study also provides a previously unidentified constraint for models of tidal heat production, shell thickness, and the long-term evolution of Enceladus’ ocean.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Nov. 2025
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After weeks of back-and-forth about the availability, Angels team president John Carpino will no longer be called as a witness by Skaggs’ attorneys due to time constraints, as the trial hits the mark this week.—
Sam Blum,
New York Times,
10 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
But, at a moment when big narrative audio studios are shuttering, loads of people are being laid off and fewer documentary series are being made, this sentence really struck a nerve in the industry of folks who produce, write, edit and sound design longform narrative audio.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
-
New York — Tech stocks took a bruising this week as nerves persist about expensive valuations and a potential artificial intelligence bubble.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
But do not confuse its indifference for inhibition.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
31 Oct. 2025
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The key is to relax, let go of your inhibitions, and just have fun.—
Kimberly Zapata,
Parents,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The federal government has acknowledged these limitations.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
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By turning a mechanical limitation into an advantage, the team has opened a new direction for soft robotics research.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Restraint.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/restraint. Accessed 18 Nov. 2025.
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