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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of restraint
Use high-calorie ingredients with restraint.
—
Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 17 June 2026
And though the gold rush is well underway, Givaudan master perfumer Rodrigo Flores-Roux acknowledged that a little restraint wasn’t a bad thing.
—James Manso, Footwear News, 16 June 2026
That restraint was hard for me.
—Clarissa Cruz, Entertainment Weekly, 16 June 2026
Instead of piling in all the interest, use restraint to build a space with character that still feels open and airy, with plenty of breathing room.
—Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for restraint
Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 17 June 2026
And though the gold rush is well underway, Givaudan master perfumer Rodrigo Flores-Roux acknowledged that a little restraint wasn’t a bad thing.
—James Manso, Footwear News, 16 June 2026
That restraint was hard for me.
—Clarissa Cruz, Entertainment Weekly, 16 June 2026
Instead of piling in all the interest, use restraint to build a space with character that still feels open and airy, with plenty of breathing room.
—Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for restraint
Recent Examples of Synonyms for restraint
Noun
-
Technical excellence is paramount, but so is the ability to take risks, learn from your mistakes and work at the edge and intersections of disciplines to transform ideas into knowledge and action.—
Rachel Nuwer,
Scientific American,
16 June 2026
-
Marie says each piece of work carries a story about childhood, discipline, survival and the complicated ways love can be expressed.—
Nia Dumas,
NPR,
16 June 2026
Noun
-
The change would bring state policy in line with federal law, which already includes those restrictions.—
Daniel Lempres,
Sacbee.com,
16 June 2026
-
In April, American Airlines tightened restrictions on portable chargers that passengers can bring on flights.—
Kiki Intarasuwan,
CBS News,
16 June 2026
Noun
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Moral judgments like these became part of the school curriculum in the late 19th century, as the temperance movement gained momentum toward its goal of total abstinence.—
Tiney Ricciardi,
Denver Post,
3 May 2026
-
The temperance, abolition, and civil-rights movements in America were all motivated in part by religious convictions.—
Luis Parrales,
The Atlantic,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Jafarzadeh highlighted Khabiri as a symbol of the regime’s repression of athletes, as Khabiri was a rising soccer star who became captain of Iran’s national team before being arrested and asked to appear on television to renounce his political beliefs.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
10 June 2026
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Other ancestors had fled aboard the Mayflower from the persecution of Puritans in England, aboard a steamship from pogroms in Ukraine, aboard a schooner from Spanish repression in Cuba.—
Yoni Appelbaum,
The Atlantic,
8 June 2026
Noun
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My only entry point was Kendrick's vote of confidence, more notable for the fact that the honor had thus far gone only to his cousin Baby Keem (who this year released a great record beholden to event-album constraints).—
Sheldon Pearce,
NPR,
16 June 2026
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Prices can sit relatively quiet for months or even years before a surge in investor demand, supply constraints or economic uncertainty sends them sharply higher.—
Faith Wakefield,
USA Today,
16 June 2026
Noun
-
The muscle had torn in half, and doctors feared permanent damage to the nerves in his calf.—
Michael Silver,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
-
Medical records obtained by police showed that Hodges' injuries included a brain bleed, multiple skull and facial fractures, a broken jaw, and a fractured inner ear resulting in hearing loss and nerve damage.—
John Lynch,
Arkansas Online,
16 June 2026
Noun
-
The little people are being menaced by a dark force—a force with power, money, and very few moral inhibitions.—
Hanna Rosin,
The Atlantic,
4 June 2026
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Shrug off inhibitions and break the ice as the moon and Uranus harmonize.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
4 June 2026
Noun
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But the industry groups are still arguing that film credits should be entirely exempt from the new limitations, as they have already been accounted for and approved by the Legislature through 2030.—
Gene Maddaus,
Variety,
19 June 2026
-
Sometimes our limitations arrive uninvited.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
18 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Restraint.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/restraint. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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