1
as in restriction
something that limits one's freedom of action or choice
such circumscriptions on the freedom of speech are antithetical to a free and open society
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2
as in limitation
the act or practice of keeping something (as an activity) within certain boundaries
electronic monitoring bracelets are sometimes used to impose a circumscription of movement on people awaiting trial
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Recent Examples of circumscription
Their circumscription, however, does not make Assad’s current priorities less dangerous.
—
Lina Khatib, Foreign Affairs, 17 Jan. 2020
Conditions explicitly accounted by our model include warfare, circumscription, variation in productivity between different local communities, ability to generate surpluses, ability to delegate power, and restrictions on the growth of polities due to scalar stress.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 20 Jan. 2011
That said, the impact of Mr. Cervas’s circumscription has already been profound, creating the likelihood of highly competitive general-election campaigns from Long Island to upstate New York.
—New York Times, 28 May 2022
Longtime readers of the site, though, have noted that the site no longer functions this way, in part because the Internet isn’t currently a space conducive to blinders and circumscription.
—Ross Scarano, Billboard, 6 May 2019
REM candidates made the second round in 453 circumscriptions and its MoDem allies qualified in another 62.
—Gregory Viscusi, Bloomberg.com, 18 June 2017
Lina Khatib, Foreign Affairs, 17 Jan. 2020
Conditions explicitly accounted by our model include warfare, circumscription, variation in productivity between different local communities, ability to generate surpluses, ability to delegate power, and restrictions on the growth of polities due to scalar stress.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 20 Jan. 2011
That said, the impact of Mr. Cervas’s circumscription has already been profound, creating the likelihood of highly competitive general-election campaigns from Long Island to upstate New York.
—New York Times, 28 May 2022
Longtime readers of the site, though, have noted that the site no longer functions this way, in part because the Internet isn’t currently a space conducive to blinders and circumscription.
—Ross Scarano, Billboard, 6 May 2019
REM candidates made the second round in 453 circumscriptions and its MoDem allies qualified in another 62.
—Gregory Viscusi, Bloomberg.com, 18 June 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circumscription
Noun
-
The country's nuclear program was subject to extensive restrictions in exchange for sanctions relief as part of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) reached in 2015 under then-U.S. President Barack Obama, but the deal was abandoned by President Donald Trump in 2018.—
Tom O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 June 2025
-
The change in minimum lot size could be coupled with parking requirements or other restrictions to manage the increase in density.—
Phillip Molnar,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 June 2025
Noun
-
But its biggest shortcoming is its range limitations, i.e., geofencing (see this map).—
Brooke Crothers,
Forbes.com,
7 June 2025
-
The executive director will be limited to serving two four-year terms, however, a limitation not imposed on other watchdog agencies such as the Freedom of Information Commission.—
Mark Pazniokas,
Hartford Courant,
5 June 2025
Noun
-
The Airbus Factor and Market Dynamics Airbus leads in single-aisle deliveries but faces significant supply chain constraints, limiting its ability to ramp up production further.—
Robert Daugherty,
Forbes.com,
7 June 2025
-
The launch date is dependent on spacecraft traffic to the ISS and in-orbit activity planning and constraints that have to be coordinated with NASA.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
7 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Circumscription.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circumscription. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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