RESTRAINT Synonyms: 107 Similar and Opposite Words

restraint

noun

ri-ˈstrānt

Definition of restraint

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

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

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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of restraint Credible restraint can give enterprise customers a reason to trust a supplier with consequential work. — Rohan Sharma, Fortune, 28 Oct. 2026 Now, the Georgia coaster and others with a similar restraint system will get seat belts, Six Flags Entertainment Corp. — Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 27 Oct. 2026 Of course, there was plenty more to discuss; some requiring considerable spoiler restraint. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 27 Oct. 2026 Koya’s case shares similarities with an incident in Elk Grove last year in which Scott Saetern, 37, was suffering an apparent mental health crisis when police in that city placed him in a restraint device and left him alone. — Theresa Clift, Sacbee.com, 26 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for restraint

Recent Examples of Synonyms for restraint

Noun

And his prescription is tighter discipline — a major theme of the four day party meeting.

— Andy Browne, semafor.com, 27 Oct. 2026
Law enforcement and schools districts continually urge parents to warn their children of the consequences of making false or written threats, including facing a felony charge and school discipline.

— Angie DiMichele, Sun Sentinel, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of discipline

Noun

For instance, the Supreme Court in late October allowed New Hampshire to enforce restrictions on using student identification cards as valid voter IDs.

— Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 28 Oct. 2026
McKnight ordered the restrictions after the Holy See’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF), which handles certain disciplinary actions involving clergy, issued a penal precept for Kallal.

— Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of restriction

Noun

As the temperance movement grew, the Besley Brewery attempted to change with the times, but was later sold around 1912.

— Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026
Founded in 1961 by a puppeteer who acquired a former Victorian temperance hall damaged during the Blitz of World War II, the theater holds one of the world’s last remaining double marionette bridges, suitable for long-string puppets.

— Kelly Kasulis Cho, Christian Science Monitor, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of temperance

Noun

First movers are the most vulnerable to state repression, while everyone else can deny sharing the same views.

— Jieun Baek, Foreign Affairs, 30 Oct. 2026
Students blamed rampant state corruption, and their mass protests persisted in the face of violent repression.

— Elizabeth Shackelford, Chicago Tribune, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of repression

Noun

Back in 2023, Stevens revealed he was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome—a rare auto-immune disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks the nerves—and was working to relearn how to walk and use his hands.

— Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 27 Oct. 2026
Johns Hopkins University researchers created a similar prosthetic device that instead maps pressure variables and sends them back to the observer using an electromyography (EMG) link hooked directly into deep muscle and nerve pathways.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of nerve

Noun

In my experience, the involvement of ketamine or other drugs invariably makes a bad situation worse – complicating consent, impairing judgment and reducing inhibitions.

— Christopher P. Holstege, The Conversation, 15 Oct. 2026
Many visual motifs emerge, most notably the men in the crowd who shed any inhibitions to cry, dance, and belt the songs at the top of their lungs.

— Marshall Shaffer, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of inhibition

Noun

Because of this limitation, even the emergence of an antibiotic-resistant strain won’t necessarily spark a new pandemic, Wagner says, noting that such strains have already shown up in Madagascar.

— Faye Flam, Scientific American, 27 Oct. 2026
Hurun cross-checked its information with entrepreneurs, regulators, industry experts and others to compile the list, while acknowledging limitations.

— ABC News, ABC News, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of limitation

Browse Nearby Words

restrains

restraint

restraints

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Restraint.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/restraint. Accessed 2 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of restraint

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

satiate

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Pwn, Skibidi, Girlboss and Other Words Added to the 2026 SCRABBLE Dictionary

Ten More Words from Taylor Swift Songs

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes