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 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 Pierce wiggled, jumped, twisted, pulled, huffed and puffed his way out of that straitjacket, taking a little bow at the end. Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 25 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for straitjacket
Recent Examples of Synonyms for straitjacket
Noun
  • The couple cited the COVID-19 confinement as having a negative impact on their relationship.
    Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 8 July 2026
  • His public defender says Bonheur should get home confinement… for running a $7-million racket.
    Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 7 July 2026
Noun
  • Police say the mother wrapped a metal chain around the child's waist, secured the other end to the property's fence and left her there before driving away.
    Ivan Taylor, CBS News, 14 July 2026
  • The bookstore chain has seen a remarkable digital-age renaissance, and is actually expanding in the Atlanta area.
    AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 14 July 2026
Noun
  • The district’s surveillance traps show numbers of Culex mosquitos — the primary vectors of West Nile virus — are at their highest.
    Alula Alderson, Sacbee.com, 14 July 2026
  • The federal agency detailed removal efforts on its website, including traps baited with eggs and trackers to lure tegus and study their movements.
    Rylan DiGiacomo-Rapp, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 July 2026
Noun
  • Look at the jagged lines, the geometric shapes, the neon colour schemes, the tall collars, the billowing short sleeves.
    Jack Lang, New York Times, 5 July 2026
  • The collar makes your entire outfit look polished, even when styled with slouchy jeans.
    Anna Popp, Travel + Leisure, 5 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Straitjacket.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/straitjacket. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

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