straitjacket

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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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 straitjacket Most recently, the brand started making ‘straitjackets’ for swans and geese for transportation. Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 31 July 2025 Gracie then secured my other hand, leaving me in a straitjacket position. Sam Eagan, New Yorker, 29 July 2025 As the rangers discovered, what is planned for today might become tomorrow's straitjacket. Nate Bennett, Forbes.com, 17 July 2025 Determining just when a clear identity becomes a tactical straitjacket is a fine line to walk. Nancy Froston, New York Times, 30 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for straitjacket
Recent Examples of Synonyms for straitjacket
Noun
  • Anderson was sentenced to three months in prison and three months of home confinement.
    Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 4 Nov. 2025
  • As the two keepers' accelerating madness batters their already uneasy relationship, the film becomes a phantasmagorical endurance test, with the two antagonistic leads hurling themselves against their tight confinement.
    Dennis Perkins, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The chain started with a single location in Rogers in 2017 and offers more than 20,000 drink combinations.
    John Magsam, Arkansas Online, 8 Nov. 2025
  • The content creator dressed in a stunning array of jewels, a chain-style seashell dress from Paco Rabanne retailing for nearly $4,000, and a metallic purse.
    Luke Chinman, PEOPLE, 7 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Jacob plots to seduce his employers and gain an advantage from their industry connections, but unwittingly walks into a trap.
    Jake Kanter, Deadline, 5 Nov. 2025
  • By moving the economy up the value chain, Beijing hopes to escape the middle-income trap and cement its status as a self-reliant tech superpower.
    Shaoyu Yuan, The Conversation, 5 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Both are rendered tonally with a darker hue of their namesake color appearing on the collar, mudguard, outsole and branding, bringing more après appeal to the winter hiker.
    Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 7 Nov. 2025
  • These slip-on shoes, $25 off, feature a fluffy genuine shearling collar, EVA soles, and a simple suede upper.
    Melony Forcier, Travel + Leisure, 7 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Straitjacket.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/straitjacket. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.

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