1
as in restraint
the power to control one's actions, impulses, or emotions
she demonstrated an almost unnatural self-restraint during the fight
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in discipline
the checking of one's true feelings and impulses when dealing with others
we must practice self-restraint even with people who are deliberately rude
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Recent Examples of self-restraint
The devout see benefits, including practicing self-restraint, cultivating gratitude and empathizing with people who are poor and hungry.
—
Mariam Fam, Los Angeles Times, 17 Feb. 2026
Eid al-Fitr is a joyous time of renewal spent with friends and family after the month of spiritual cleansing, self-restraint and contemplation.
—Lianna Norman, Florida Times-Union, 5 Feb. 2026
True, Sophie Portnoy possesses none of Bess’s self-restraint, her ability to superimpose limits with the use of little more than a passing gesture, no more than a word or two.
—Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2025
Ultimately, signatures and self-restraint may be not enough.
—Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-restraint
Mariam Fam, Los Angeles Times, 17 Feb. 2026
Eid al-Fitr is a joyous time of renewal spent with friends and family after the month of spiritual cleansing, self-restraint and contemplation.
—Lianna Norman, Florida Times-Union, 5 Feb. 2026
True, Sophie Portnoy possesses none of Bess’s self-restraint, her ability to superimpose limits with the use of little more than a passing gesture, no more than a word or two.
—Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2025
Ultimately, signatures and self-restraint may be not enough.
—Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-restraint
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-restraint
Noun
-
No official casualty figures were immediately available from the violence that prompted calls for restraint from the United Nations and the United States as the government and opposition traded blame for the violence.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 June 2026
-
However, the negotiations have allowed Trump to say that relations with China are in good shape and that both countries have exercised restraint.—
Thomas Wright,
The Atlantic,
4 June 2026
Noun
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Remember, Mercury oversees communication, information, planning and perception, while Saturn brings limits, discipline, scrutiny and reality checks.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
9 June 2026
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The administration investigated Chicago Public Schools and withheld more than $20 million when the district refused to end its Black Student Success Program, which aims to increase access to advanced coursework for Black students and reduce overly harsh discipline.—
Annie Ma,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Self-restraint.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-restraint. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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