1
as in discipline
the checking of one's true feelings and impulses when dealing with others
it will take a great deal of restraint to keep from telling her how ugly that dress is
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in restriction
something that limits one's freedom of action or choice
civil libertarians contend that the new laws place too many restraints on our constitutionally guaranteed rights
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in temperance
the power to control one's actions, impulses, or emotions
he shows very little restraint or tact when expressing his opinions about others
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of restraint
The other guys are on their feet, trying to break it up, someone is calling someone else a loser, there are swings and kicks and insults, men grabbing at other men, trying to restrain them and busting the restraints.
—
Brian Moylan, Vulture, 6 May 2026
Irecognize the fiscal restraints the body was operating under.
—Rose Evans
may 6, Idaho Statesman, 6 May 2026
It was designed as a civic composition, one in which restraint was part of the message.
—Israel Melendez Ayala, Time, 6 May 2026
Inside the guest rooms and suites, that restraint becomes a kind of refuge.
—Lydia Mansel, Southern Living, 6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for restraint
Brian Moylan, Vulture, 6 May 2026
Irecognize the fiscal restraints the body was operating under.
—Rose Evans
may 6, Idaho Statesman, 6 May 2026
It was designed as a civic composition, one in which restraint was part of the message.
—Israel Melendez Ayala, Time, 6 May 2026
Inside the guest rooms and suites, that restraint becomes a kind of refuge.
—Lydia Mansel, Southern Living, 6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for restraint
Recent Examples of Synonyms for restraint
Noun
-
The local school board would decide whether cell phones could be used during after-school activities, and the districts would set their own policies on issues such as discipline for violating the policy, lawmakers said.—
Christopher Keating,
Hartford Courant,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Both focus on human achievement, discipline and expression.—
Taylor Haught,
Kansas City Star,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Suspect Cole Tomas Allen was confined to a padded cell with constant lighting and repeatedly strip-searched; the judge noted the jail houses convicted killers without such restrictions.—
Michael Kunzelman,
Los Angeles Times,
5 May 2026
-
The owner of a long-standing and once heralded senior housing project is seeking to have the age restriction removed, telling town zoning officials such a move is in keeping with shifts in the Connecticut housing market.—
Sean Krofssik,
Hartford Courant,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
The temperance, abolition, and civil-rights movements in America were all motivated in part by religious convictions.—
Luis Parrales,
The Atlantic,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Then, strong reform and radical movements to abolish slavery and to advocate for world peace, temperance, and women’s suffrage flourished.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
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At the same time, Guanipa sought to reassure the audience that opposition leaders remain active inside the country despite risks and repression.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
2 May 2026
-
Due to its size and the scale/quality of its repression, China stands out here.—
Nate Anderson,
ArsTechnica,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Some airlines and independent lounges sell day passes, but availability is often limited due to capacity constraints.—
Zach Wichter,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Law said the bill is lacking an education and outreach provision due largely to budget constraints.—
Livi Stanford,
Hartford Courant,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
My clients had the nerve to go on and succeed without him.—
Samantha Delouya,
CNN Money,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Sadly, politicians will not have the nerve to enact and enforce such legislation.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
This shift from inhibition to activation requires a fundamentally different toolkit — and a different kind of researcher.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
27 Apr. 2026
-
However, the unique culture of our city often overpowers these inhibitions, and the sight of NYPD officers patrolling as modern-day knights on horseback is a reassuring testament to that strength.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
19 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
While other states have debated — and, in Maryland’s case, passed — limitations on price surveillance, Colorado’s bill would be the strongest in the country, said Lee Hepner, a senior legal counsel for the American Economic Liberties Project.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
7 May 2026
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Saar’s leather pieces, featured prominently throughout the show, are another example of how in her hands, everyday objects extend beyond any limitations, feeling more like collage than anything else.—
Julissa James,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Restraint.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/restraint. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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