restraint
noun
re·straint
ri-ˈstrānt 
1
a
: an act of restraining : the state of being restrained
b(1)
: a means of restraining : a restraining force or influence
(2)
: a device that restricts movement
a restraint for children riding in cars
2
: a control over the expression of one's emotions or thoughts
Examples of restraint in a Sentence
Make sure the child safety restraint is in place.
The prisoner was placed in restraints.
His angry response showed a lack of restraint.
The government has acted with restraint in dealing with this crisis.
Recent Examples on the Web
The chance that American attacks on Houthis could prompt attacks on Saudi Arabia and a renewal of the kingdom’s brutal war in Yemen was a chief concern of the Biden administration, a prime reason that White House operated with a degree of restraint in its strikes on Houthi targets.
—
New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025
Sullivan, 56, was charged with first-degree unlawful restraint, cruelty to persons and first-degree reckless endangerment.
—Livi Stanford, Hartford Courant, 25 Mar. 2025
Koogler approached the subject with nuance and restraint.
—Darryn King, Forbes, 22 Mar. 2025
The havoc that Trump has wreaked on America, and the rest of the world, in his eight weeks back in office requires some restraint in the deployment of this analogy.
—Susan B. Glasser, The New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for restraint
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New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025
Sullivan, 56, was charged with first-degree unlawful restraint, cruelty to persons and first-degree reckless endangerment.
—Livi Stanford, Hartford Courant, 25 Mar. 2025
Koogler approached the subject with nuance and restraint.
—Darryn King, Forbes, 22 Mar. 2025
The havoc that Trump has wreaked on America, and the rest of the world, in his eight weeks back in office requires some restraint in the deployment of this analogy.
—Susan B. Glasser, The New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for restraint
Cite this Entry
“Restraint.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/restraint. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
restraint
noun
re·straint
ri-ˈstrānt
1
: the act of restraining : the state of being restrained
held in restraint
2
: a restraining force or influence
3
: control over one's behavior
act with restraint
Medical Definition
restraint
noun
re·straint
ri-ˈstrānt
: a device that restricts movement
restraints such as straitjackets for violent patients
Legal Definition
restraint
noun
re·straint
ri-ˈstrānt
1
a
: an act or fact of restraining see also prior restraint
b
: the state of being restrained
2
a
: a means of restraining
b
: a device that restricts movement (as of prisoners or violent psychiatric patients)
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