variants
also straightjacket
as in confinement
a jacket that has long arms which can be tied together behind someone's back and that is used to control the movement (as of a violent prisoner or patient)
The magician struggled to free his arms from the straitjacket and escape from the tank of water he was submerged in.
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Recent Examples of straitjacket
Mikey struggles to keep up with the two Gucci duffels wrapped around his shoulders like a straitjacket.
—
Michael Nied, PEOPLE, 26 Nov. 2025
Known for its aggressive high-top design, the Air Max2 CB 94’s key features include elastic straps on the tongue said to be inspired by straightjackets, a nod to Barkley’s volatile reputation in the ‘90s.
—Riley Jones, Footwear News, 26 Nov. 2025
But the peace forged at Dayton bound Bosnia in a straitjacket that has kept it divided since.
—Adis Maksić, The Conversation, 19 Nov. 2025
The whole reason the Los Angeles River became a concrete straightjacket was to prevent a repeat of the city's devastating floods in the 1930s.
—Emma Bowman, NPR, 17 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for straitjacket
Michael Nied, PEOPLE, 26 Nov. 2025
Known for its aggressive high-top design, the Air Max2 CB 94’s key features include elastic straps on the tongue said to be inspired by straightjackets, a nod to Barkley’s volatile reputation in the ‘90s.
—Riley Jones, Footwear News, 26 Nov. 2025
But the peace forged at Dayton bound Bosnia in a straitjacket that has kept it divided since.
—Adis Maksić, The Conversation, 19 Nov. 2025
The whole reason the Los Angeles River became a concrete straightjacket was to prevent a repeat of the city's devastating floods in the 1930s.
—Emma Bowman, NPR, 17 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for straitjacket
Recent Examples of Synonyms for straitjacket
Noun
-
Tanimoto, as the last living Block 42 resister, carries a singular piece of that history — a controversy and act of resistance within the walls of confinement that illustrated the dilemma faced by people imprisoned by their own country without accusation of a crime.—
Jake Goodrick,
Sacbee.com,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Welty's death is the subject of an ongoing lawsuit against DCS in which family members allege that DCS prematurely closed three of six anonymous complaints brought against Kinsleigh's mother, Toni McClure, who has since been charged with murder and criminal confinement.—
Kayla Dwyer,
IndyStar,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
With new openings in Italy, Poland, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, Robert De Niro and his business partners are expanding Nobu’s hotel chain across Europe fast.—
Maureen O'Hare,
CNN Money,
21 Feb. 2026
-
Olympic medals weren’t designed to be worn around the neck until 1960, when a laurel-leaf chain was introduced in Rome, and subsequently ribbons became standard.—
Eric Sullivan,
Scientific American,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
But having dodged the traps of the social media news era, The Economist now faces looming long-term structural challenges that may be more difficult to avoid.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
23 Feb. 2026
-
The teeth on the lower jaw protrude and interlock between those on the upper jaw, making for a deadly fish trap, UChicago said.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
22 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Once the heavy portion is removed, finish with a clean cut where the branch meets the trunk, being careful not to injure the branch collar.—
Rae Ford,
Martha Stewart,
21 Feb. 2026
-
His costumes alone are a wonder, a series of bell-bottom jumpsuits, many of them accented with elegant high, Revolutionary War-era collars and cinched with macramé belts, their fringe swinging in time with his hips.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
20 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Straitjacket.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/straitjacket. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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