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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Both movements emerged from similar circumstances and serve as reactions to censorship, repression, and the ideological constraints of the Islamic Republic.
—
Ali Farahmand, IndieWire, 23 May 2025
This disparagement was part of Netanyahu’s broader efforts to weaken judges’ role and independence and to remove judicial constraints on executive power.
—Michael Gregory, The Conversation, 23 May 2025
Still, in the absence of any frontier AI regulation from Congress, Anthropic’s RSP is one of the few existing constraints on the behavior of any AI company.
—Billy Perrigo, Time, 22 May 2025
New Organization And Team Operating Model AI technology by itself will not yield value until there is an openness to take a fresh look at business processes and combine them with resource and tech dependency with no constraints.
—Balmukund Shukla, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for constraint
Ali Farahmand, IndieWire, 23 May 2025
This disparagement was part of Netanyahu’s broader efforts to weaken judges’ role and independence and to remove judicial constraints on executive power.
—Michael Gregory, The Conversation, 23 May 2025
Still, in the absence of any frontier AI regulation from Congress, Anthropic’s RSP is one of the few existing constraints on the behavior of any AI company.
—Billy Perrigo, Time, 22 May 2025
New Organization And Team Operating Model AI technology by itself will not yield value until there is an openness to take a fresh look at business processes and combine them with resource and tech dependency with no constraints.
—Balmukund Shukla, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for constraint
Recent Examples of Synonyms for constraint
Noun
-
After George Floyd was killed in 2020, many police departments across the country banned or restricted the knee-on-neck restraint.—
Rose Evans,
Idaho Statesman,
27 May 2025
-
Rickson stages both plays with elegant restraint, arranging just a few bits of furniture in front of a bare brick wall.—
Helen Shaw,
New Yorker,
22 May 2025
Noun
-
Complete access to Netflix without restrictions is considered Open.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
20 May 2025
-
Harvard, in its refusal to comport with new federal guidelines regarding DEI restrictions, has put $9 billion in federal funding at risk.—
Rep. Steve Weir,
Hartford Courant,
20 May 2025
Noun
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The France captain arrived last summer with pressure on his shoulders from being a longstanding target for the club and its president, Florentino Perez, since his breakthrough at Monaco in 2016-17.—
Guillermo Rai,
New York Times,
28 May 2025
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Ukraine’s European allies have seen an increase in instances of sabotage, cyber incidents and arson attacks linked to Russia, an attempt by Moscow to put more pressure on Kyiv-friendly governments by trying to show their voters that supporting Kyiv comes with a cost.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
27 May 2025
Noun
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For most of the season, the Mets have maintained their plate discipline; their 18.6 percent strikeout rate with runners in scoring position ranks as the fifth-best in MLB.—
Will Sammon,
New York Times,
19 May 2025
-
Controversially, the plan also included converting campus libraries into student discipline spaces.—
Silas Allen,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
19 May 2025
Noun
-
Confronted with the limitations of time and money in a difficult custom market for midsize superyachts, brands and designers are dreaming up semi-custom designs.—
Kristen Tauer,
Footwear News,
25 May 2025
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Risks and limitations At high doses, the drug can cause adverse health issues that affect cardiovascular, respiratory and neurologic function, which can be fatal, said the American Addiction Centers website.—
Khloe Quill,
FOXNews.com,
25 May 2025
Noun
-
Therapy involves asking patients to experience their stress and anxiety without performing a compulsion in response.—
Christina Caron,
New York Times,
16 May 2025
-
Medium spiny neurons play an important role in habit formation, the process by which a behavior becomes automatic and habitual – think compulsions.—
Carol Mathews,
The Conversation,
13 May 2025
Noun
-
For Black Americans, the history of repression of education runs even deeper.—
Karida L. Brown,
Essence,
21 May 2025
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After 2012, when Putin returned to the presidency, the Kremlin began tightening its grip on Russia’s elites, embracing an archaic militarism, and widening its repression of civil society.—
ANDREI YAKOVLEV,
Foreign Affairs,
16 May 2025
Noun
-
Its inhibition was leveled at the thing, not the name.—
Tony Bradley,
Forbes.com,
18 Apr. 2025
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Just in time for the full moon in Libra on April 12, Luna will illuminate your 12th house of secrets, inhibitions and unconscious patterns, urging you to let go of patterns that no longer serve you.—
Valerie Mesa,
People.com,
5 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Constraint.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/constraint. Accessed 1 Jun. 2025.
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