constraint
noun
con·straint
kən-ˈstrānt 
1
a
: the act of constraining
b
: the state of being checked, restricted, or compelled to avoid or perform some action
… the constraint and monotony of a monastic life …—
Matthew Arnold
Matthew Arnolda life of invalidism and constraint
c
: a constraining condition, agency, or force : check
put legal constraints on the board's activities
Budget constraints have forced me to revise my travel plans.
2
a
: repression of one's own feelings, behavior, or actions
emotional constraint
b
: a sense of being constrained : embarrassment
" … a constraint between us as if we were strangers … "—John P. Marquand
John P. MarquandExamples of constraint in a Sentence
Lack of funding has been a major constraint on the building's design.
They demand freedom from constraint.
They refuse to work under constraint any longer.
Recent Examples on the Web
But there’s only so much that educators and parents can achieve by working together if city and state leaders are not willing to face hard problems and revenue constraints.
—Milly Arciniegas, Hartford Courant, 27 May 2025
In 2023, a study published in the Journal of Transport & Health found people who are able to travel freely outside their local area reported experiencing better health compared to those who faced constraints.
—Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 May 2025
There is no administrative independence, there are no limitations, there are no regulatory constraints in this government‘s view, only tools to be used as necessary.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 26 May 2025
These exercises might liberate them from the constraints of their routine self-consciousness.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 25 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for constraint
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Milly Arciniegas, Hartford Courant, 27 May 2025
In 2023, a study published in the Journal of Transport & Health found people who are able to travel freely outside their local area reported experiencing better health compared to those who faced constraints.
—Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 May 2025
There is no administrative independence, there are no limitations, there are no regulatory constraints in this government‘s view, only tools to be used as necessary.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 26 May 2025
These exercises might liberate them from the constraints of their routine self-consciousness.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 25 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for constraint
Cite this Entry
“Constraint.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/constraint. Accessed 1 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
constraint
noun
con·straint
kən-ˈstrānt
1
: the act of constraining : the state of being constrained
2
: something that constrains : check
3
: a holding back of one's feelings, actions, or behavior
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