1
as in compels
to cause (a person) to give in to pressure
constrained by conscience to tell only the truth
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in regulates
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 constrains
That deeply constrains everything that occurs in the show’s first outing, which can’t see Mike, El, Dustin, Lucas, or Max grow as characters in ways that bump up against their arcs from the original show, or let the new addition Nikki (Odessa A’zion) become too firmly entrenched in their lives.
—
Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 24 Apr. 2026
But when resistance is too high, when something constrains electron flow through the mitochondria, the system backs up.
—Jasna Hodžić, Big Think, 22 Apr. 2026
This includes other priority areas along the Florida Wildlife Corridor where development constrains animal movement.
—Eve Bohnett, The Conversation, 2 Apr. 2026
Limited access constrains health care, education, digital connectivity and job creation.
—ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026
This propulsion system limits responsiveness and constrains the precision with which a drone can control its position and attitude simultaneously.
—Etiido Uko
march 30, New Atlas, 30 Mar. 2026
Inflation constrains monetary easing.
—Michael Khouw, CNBC, 30 Mar. 2026
Fear of them constrains how US warships can operate in the Gulf, potentially limiting the range and effect of US Navy air and missile strikes into Iran, Schuster said.
—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 22 Mar. 2026
Diesel prices are rising as the war in the Middle East constrains the world's oil supply and drives up prices of Brent crude, the international benchmark, above $100 a barrel.
—CBS News, 17 Mar. 2026
Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 24 Apr. 2026
But when resistance is too high, when something constrains electron flow through the mitochondria, the system backs up.
—Jasna Hodžić, Big Think, 22 Apr. 2026
This includes other priority areas along the Florida Wildlife Corridor where development constrains animal movement.
—Eve Bohnett, The Conversation, 2 Apr. 2026
Limited access constrains health care, education, digital connectivity and job creation.
—ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026
This propulsion system limits responsiveness and constrains the precision with which a drone can control its position and attitude simultaneously.
—Etiido Uko
march 30, New Atlas, 30 Mar. 2026
Inflation constrains monetary easing.
—Michael Khouw, CNBC, 30 Mar. 2026
Fear of them constrains how US warships can operate in the Gulf, potentially limiting the range and effect of US Navy air and missile strikes into Iran, Schuster said.
—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 22 Mar. 2026
Diesel prices are rising as the war in the Middle East constrains the world's oil supply and drives up prices of Brent crude, the international benchmark, above $100 a barrel.
—CBS News, 17 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for constrains
Verb
-
Yet the Gospel compels us to do just that.—
William E. Lori,
New York Daily News,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Perhaps that’s what compels me, somewhere in the middle of our lunch, to unmask.—
Zeba Blay,
SELF,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Layered moisture management technology regulates temperature and wicks away moisture, and down alternative gives it just the right plushness for your preference in soft, medium, and firm varieties.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
26 Apr. 2026
-
While the Federal Aviation Administration regulates airspace, local governments control land use, giving Cobb County the final say on whether the drone hub could be built at that specific site.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
New Yorkers deserve a system that protects them before harm occurs — not one that forces them to fight for years to reclaim what was already theirs.—
Darlene Mealy,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
-
In her latest Netflix action effort, Theron plays a woman who sets off on a trip to Australia to soothe her grief but unwittingly crosses paths with Egerton’s unnerving hunter, who forces her into a game of cat and mouse.—
Savannah Salazar,
Vulture,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
On a Back Porch offers a bite-size portion (or perhaps a better analogy would be a beer flight) of what the Dead’s vault contains.—
Kory Grow,
Rolling Stone,
26 Apr. 2026
-
The bathroom is accessed from the kitchen via a pocket door and contains a shower (with a curtain or optional glass enclosure), a sink, and a choice of flushing, composting, or incinerating toilet, plus a washer/dryer.—
Adam Williams
April 25,
New Atlas,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
However, the rotation of this filament clearly dominates how the galaxies within it spin, perhaps by funneling hydrogen gas along the dark-matter filament and onto the galaxies in a way that coerces their spin while providing further fuel for star formation.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
4 Dec. 2025
-
Haunted by the suspicious death of his ailing mother, Ali, a university professor, coerces his enigmatic gardener to execute a cold-blooded act of vengeance.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
14 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Stadiums are notorious for their lack of multiplier impact, which is one reason these days why sports team owners, such as the McCaskey family that controls the Bears, have such a hard time hoodwinking governments into giving them direct subsidies to build their stadiums.—
David Greising,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
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The divisions underscore the West’s challenges in combating China; following decades of building up its supply chains, Beijing now controls 90% of global processing.—
Semafor Events,
semafor.com,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Finally, the series rests on the shoulders of the three principal players, who are just a pleasure to watch; the camera obliges by moving in close.—
Television Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Apr. 2026
-
The 2026 Ram 1500 definitely obliges in that comfort.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
At certain points in the novel, that distance calcifies and restrains his writing.—
Taran Dugal,
New Yorker,
4 Mar. 2026
-
And most of the officials agreed that the Fed’s key rate is close to a level that neither stimulates nor restrains the economy.—
Christopher Rugaber,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Constrains.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/constrains. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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