straitjacket

variants also straightjacket
as in confinement
a jacket that has long arms which can be tied together behind someone's back and that is used to control the movement (as of a violent prisoner or patient) The magician struggled to free his arms from the straitjacket and escape from the tank of water he was submerged in.

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 straitjacket This means that the straitjacket of sanctions has been loosened for Kim. Daniel R. Russel, Foreign Affairs, 12 June 2018 The undiluted isolationism of his campaign messaging could prove to be a straitjacket that paralyzes the Trump administration’s foreign policy at a critical time. Peter D. Feaver, Foreign Affairs, 6 Nov. 2024 Trump should make clear that Washington will no longer allow the accord to impose a straitjacket on broader U.S. policy in the Middle East. Tzvi Kahn, Foreign Affairs, 16 Feb. 2017 Lagrange’s method, despite seeming like a mere mathematical convenience at the time, loosened the straitjacket of Newton’s mechanistic view of the universe as a sequence of falling dominos. Charlie Wood, WIRED, 3 Nov. 2024 See All Example Sentences for straitjacket
Recent Examples of Synonyms for straitjacket
Noun
  • Before leaving office, President Joe Biden commuted Peltier’s life sentence to home confinement.
    German Lopez, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2025
  • The smuggling operations also can cause psychological distress and confinement in small spaces, which can cause injury and even death.
    Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 18 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Denny’s is closing dozens of restaurants The American diner is closing at least 30 of its restaurants as part of the struggling chain’s plans to jumpstart growth.
    Alexandra Banner, CNN, 14 Feb. 2025
  • Dutch Bros — The coffee shop chain soared more than 27% after issuing strong fourth-quarter earnings and same-store sales.
    Sean Conlon, CNBC, 13 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Many business owners fall into the trap of believing that busyness is the same as being productive.
    Melissa Houston, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2025
  • Another slice of the trailer appears to be showing a chain of explosions going off, indicating that players might be able to set up more complex traps or breaches than currently.
    Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 17 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • The collar is visible in photos showing the release.
    Brooke Baitinger, Sacramento Bee, 21 Feb. 2025
  • University of Cambridge Developed by Prof. Luigi Occhipinti and colleagues at the University of Cambridge, the washable garment features an array of graphene strain sensors printed onto its collar.
    Ben Coxworth, New Atlas, 21 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Straitjacket.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/straitjacket. Accessed 28 Feb. 2025.

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