1
as in to compel
to cause (a person) to give in to pressure
constrained by conscience to tell only the truth
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to regulate
to keep from exceeding a desirable degree or level (as of expression)
constrained his anger at the needless interruption
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of constrain
Others scale power faster than the systems that constrain them — eventually, safety and governance feel like an afterthought.
—
Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
At the same time, the government remains constrained by the conditions of its bailout agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which limits its ability to introduce subsidies.
—Mayu Saini, Sourcing Journal, 31 Mar. 2026
When authority becomes too concentrated and variation too constrained, the system loses the adaptive capacity that complex environments require.
—Lawrence Rosenberg, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
Well, for starters, in environments where space is constrained, such as industrial sites, dense urban areas, or indoor facilities, the ability to move laterally without tilting greatly reduces collision risk.
—Etiido Uko
march 30, New Atlas, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for constrain
Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
At the same time, the government remains constrained by the conditions of its bailout agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which limits its ability to introduce subsidies.
—Mayu Saini, Sourcing Journal, 31 Mar. 2026
When authority becomes too concentrated and variation too constrained, the system loses the adaptive capacity that complex environments require.
—Lawrence Rosenberg, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
Well, for starters, in environments where space is constrained, such as industrial sites, dense urban areas, or indoor facilities, the ability to move laterally without tilting greatly reduces collision risk.
—Etiido Uko
march 30, New Atlas, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for constrain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for constrain
Verb
-
Discussions were had at those meetings, and every single thing that has happened has been compelled by council action.—
Jack Fink,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Even those who advocated for conservative positions were compelled to make their case in language amenable to the liberal sensibility.—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Colorado argued that states have the right to regulate the medical industry as a means of promoting consumer health and safety.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Citing a surge in reckless riding and pedestrian close-calls, some South Florida municipalities are launching safety campaigns or passing ordinances to regulate e-bikes on neighborhood streets and sidewalks.—
Cindy Krischer Goodman,
Sun Sentinel,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In the mid-twentieth century, the US government experimented on poor Black men in Tuskegee, Alabama, to understand the life-cycle of syphilis; the men were coerced into remaining in their study for decades despite the fact that the disease’s cure, penicillin, had been discovered.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
30 Mar. 2026
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And the folks for whom Live Nation is able to really coerce a lot of their economic opportunities, the venues that are afraid to get sideways with Live Nation.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In addition, motions in which the prosecution opposed mental health diversions for two defendants contained similar errors, Stuart wrote.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
1 Apr. 2026
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The Jumping Branch fire has spread to 275 acres and is only 30% contained, state officials said Tuesday.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The other key will be avoiding turnovers, as South Carolina is forcing more than 18 per game.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
30 Mar. 2026
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Soft, adjustable lighting, outdoor rain showers with peepholes framing the scenery, incredibly comfy poolside daybeds, super-crisp sheets, open-plan bathrooms with capacious closets—everything works, but nothing feels forced or superfluous.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Organic pesticides can still have environmental impacts because they are designed to control living organisms.—
Anthony Reardon,
Kansas City Star,
4 Apr. 2026
-
But the website isn’t full of articles about how the earth is flat or how aliens are controlling our government.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Europe’s Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD) obligates foreign streaming services to invest a portion of their revenue into local productions, but leaves the modalities of this obligation to each individual country.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
27 Mar. 2026
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Maduro’s lawyer, Barry Pollack, argued Thursday that Supreme Court precedent made clear that the couple had a right to access funds Venezuela’s current leadership is willing and obligated to pay per the country’s laws.—
Molly Crane-Newman,
New York Daily News,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Keller police have charged a Shady Grove Elementary special education teacher with unlawfully restraining a 4‑year‑old student after investigators corroborated a parent's report with statements from school staff.—
Doug Myers,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
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It was evacuated in Siegburg, not far from Cologne, and federal police said the man was restrained and arrested, German news agency dpa reported.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Constrain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/constrain. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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