1
as in restraint
the checking of one's true feelings and impulses when dealing with others
in civilized society people do not just say or do whatever they feel like—they exercise some constraint
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in restriction
something that limits one's freedom of action or choice
put legal constraints on the board's activities
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in pressure
the use of power to impose one's will on another
parental constraint can take several different forms, including a denial of the approval that children usually seek from their parents
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of constraint
Or will the roster-building limitations from the owners’ payroll constraints lead to a second disappointing season in a row at Target Field?
—
Aaron Gleeman, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025
As an ostensibly neutral arbitrator who is subject to the same constraints as judges, such conversations by a PURA commissioner are considered improper.
—Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 26 Mar. 2025
Our inability to detect extraterrestrial intelligence doesn’t necessarily negate their existence but rather reflects the constraints of our current knowledge and technology.
—David Chauvet, JSTOR Daily, 26 Mar. 2025
In a statement to MarketWatch, the SSA sought to clarify that the agency would remain open and operational, but noted the constraints imposed by the court order.
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 25 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for constraint
Aaron Gleeman, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025
As an ostensibly neutral arbitrator who is subject to the same constraints as judges, such conversations by a PURA commissioner are considered improper.
—Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 26 Mar. 2025
Our inability to detect extraterrestrial intelligence doesn’t necessarily negate their existence but rather reflects the constraints of our current knowledge and technology.
—David Chauvet, JSTOR Daily, 26 Mar. 2025
In a statement to MarketWatch, the SSA sought to clarify that the agency would remain open and operational, but noted the constraints imposed by the court order.
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 25 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for constraint
Recent Examples of Synonyms for constraint
Noun
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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,
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
Noun
-
There are no gestational age restrictions, although most abortions are performed during the first trimester and those after 23 weeks require specialized care.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Apr. 2025
-
Improper restriction and exclusion of ill food service employees.—
Ashley Fredde,
Idaho Statesman,
2 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
As privacy changes reshape digital advertising and economic pressures demand greater efficiency, the cost of fragmented analysis is becoming impossible to ignore.—
Cody Greco,
Forbes.com,
28 Mar. 2025
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But there must have been a pressure, or at least the possibility, of staying on tour for a whole ‘nother year, if not longer, knowing the demand for it was there and then some.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
28 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
The special section of Art Bulletin—which, as the discipline’s flagship journal, constitutes a semiofficial statement about AI’s importance in the field—devoted the majority of its space to critical commentary about the application of computer vision to works of art.—
Sonja Drimmer,
Artforum,
1 Apr. 2025
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That discipline has helped broaden the National Rally’s appeal, especially in the aftermath of Macron’s defeat in the 2024 European elections.—
Thomas Adamson,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Microsoft acknowledges several limitations, including poor enemy interactions, a short context length of just 0.9 seconds (meaning the system forgets objects outside its view), and unreliable numerical tracking for game elements like health values.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
8 Apr. 2025
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This means there will be limitations on who can view their content, see their profile information, and more.—
Anna Halkidis,
Parents,
8 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Creating collages is almost a compulsion, a way for Jarmusch to escape from the world and nestle into self-reflection.—
Renée Reizman,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Mar. 2025
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The exchange between artist and patron, however, becomes corrosive, a tumultuous dynamic fueled by Van Buren’s megalomania and Tóth’s creative compulsion.—
Madison Bloom,
Pitchfork,
24 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The decision was also a relief for the hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans living in the United States who were grappling with the uncertainty of returning to a country where many of them could face political persecution and repression from Nicolas Maduro’s government.—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
4 Apr. 2025
-
Authoritarian organizations do not yield gracefully and usually react with violent repression.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Those raising awareness of the Arabic Facebook posts feel no such inhibition.—
Ben Sales,
Sun Sentinel,
24 Mar. 2025
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However, there are widespread inhibitions against the use of fast chargers, as they’re widely believed to reduce the total lifespan of an EV battery – although there is currently little data to support the theory.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
20 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Constraint.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/constraint. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.
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