straitjacket

variants also straightjacket
Definition of straitjacketnext
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 Forced to walk around, and even sleep, in a steel straightjacket with his neck permanently raised high, the once carefree Christophe begins to shut down to both his classmates and family. — Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2026 The icy straitjacket that kept the rocks from collapsing was no longer there. — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 10 May 2026 In any other administration, straitjackets would be the mandatory dress code. — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 21 Apr. 2026 First Man, the Neil Armstrong biopic that is Chazelle’s second collaboration with Gosling, feels like watching Gosling act his way out of a straitjacket. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for straitjacket
Recent Examples of Synonyms for straitjacket
Noun
  • Brown’s attorney, Ellen Comley, asked that he be sentenced to probation and home confinement.
    — Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The first year was to be served in home confinement without electronic monitoring.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 30 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The chain began as a pioneer of a certain kind of all-American restaurant.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Some of the builders were delighted by the strange setup — the sleeping alcoves for him and Lakofski, the balustrade inspired by the chain link of a nearby playground (and, maybe, a little Frank Gehry).
    — Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 30 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The room is closed off, equipped with monitoring traps and subject to follow-up inspections.
    — Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The beginner's trap is expecting the Great Square to be compact and immediately obvious.
    — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • If shoppers substitute outerwear for accessories at scale, expect retailers to adjust winter accessory buys for 2027 and lean harder into lightweight silk scarves or thin knit options that layer under the collar rather than around the neck.
    — Lauren Schuster, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Marie Claire identifies high-collar outerwear as a defining trend of the season, spanning leather jackets, trenches, wool coats and sporty styles.
    — Lauren Schuster, Kansas City Star, 30 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Straitjacket.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/straitjacket. Accessed 6 Oct. 2026.

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