stricture

noun

ˈstrik-chər How to pronounce stricture (audio)
Definition of stricturenext
1
as in condemnation
an often public or formal expression of disapproval the church's strictures on the morals and mores of contemporary society

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in restriction
something that limits one's freedom of action or choice the new zoning strictures effectively make further development along the riverfront commercially unviable

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 stricture Cher, Parton, Streisand, and Warwick have resisted these strictures. — Debbie Millman, Time, 25 July 2026 His peers of the mid-19th century were outrunning their critics and the old strictures of colonial imitation. — Steven Johnson, Washington Post, 14 July 2026 The difference, of course, is that where Land Artists attempt to escape commercial strictures, Amangiri has transformed the same desert encounter into one of the most desirable luxury experiences possible. — Lara Johnson-Wheeler, Vogue, 3 July 2026 The New York cello-saxophone duo trades the strictures of classical music for more exploratory tones and textures, fusing the expansiveness of film scores with the immediacy of pop. — Emma Madden, Pitchfork, 11 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for stricture
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stricture
  1. condemnation
  2. restriction
  3. reprimand
  4. constraint
  5. censure
  6. limitation
Noun
  • El-Sayed put distance between himself and Piker on Wednesday following intraparty condemnation of Piker’s comments on American Jews.
    — Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 27 Aug. 2026
  • If an agreement was not reached outside of court, the city filed for condemnation.
    — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of condemnation
Noun
  • New York City just instituted a sweeping ban on schools using AI in the classroom through the start of high school, along with other restrictions on the technology.
    — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Rosaviatsiya -- announced temporary flight restrictions at airports in Sochi, Gelendzhik, Penza, Saratov, Yaroslavl and Nizhny Novgorod.
    — David Brennan, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of restriction
Noun
  • Under the Premier League’s general disciplinary rules, its board can issue a reprimand, impose a fine of up to £100,000 through its summary jurisdiction or refer an alleged breach to an independent commission.
    — Amelie Claydon, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The internal affairs investigator recommended a verbal reprimand, which was approved by Sheriff Ric Bradshaw.
    — Shira Moolten, Sun Sentinel, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of reprimand
Noun
  • Importantly, this outlook not only incorporates the chip supply Broadcom expects to receive, but also physical infrastructure constraints such as land, power, and data center shells.
    — Jeff Marks, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The product should solve a constraint that customers can quantify.
    — John Gabriel, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of constraint
Noun
  • Edwards stood in the well of the House as the censure resolution was read.
    — Kevin Freking, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Following the vote, Speaker Mike Johnson asked Edwards to present himself in the well of the chamber as the censure resolution was read aloud.
    — John Parkinson, ABC News, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of censure
Noun
  • The approach is designed around the limitations of small aerial vehicles, where additional weight and continuous motor operation can quickly drain a battery.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Financial constraints might have prevented Jarmond from firing Kelly sooner, but those limitations didn’t prevent him from extending Kelly’s contract in 2023.
    — Mirjam Swanson, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of limitation

Browse Nearby Words

strictness
stricture
strictures
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stricture.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stricture. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on stricture

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about stricture

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All