1
as in controlling
to keep from exceeding a desirable degree or level (as of expression)
the victim's family members were unable to restrain their emotions upon hearing the verdict
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in arresting
to take or keep under one's control by authority of law
the suspect was restrained and taken to an undisclosed location
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of restraining
Hassett also cited rising productivity stemming from artificial intelligence improvements that is restraining businesses' need to hire.
—
Jeff Cox, CNBC, 10 Feb. 2026
Ultimately, officers decided to take him forcibly, restraining him in something called the WRAP, a device comprising a locking shoulder harness, leg restraints and ankle straps.
—Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
The video’s footage amplifies the flagrant dishonesty of the Administration’s statements about the threat Alex Pretti posed to the multiple officers who were physically restraining him before he was killed.
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 29 Jan. 2026
Some of the cases filed so far do seem to describe potential assaults on officers, such as a pair of incidents in which two women are alleged to have bitten the fingers of the Border Patrol agents who were restraining them.
—Quinta Jurecic, The Atlantic, 28 Jan. 2026
Deputies Christian Anderson, Zachary Dalton, Christopher Bearss, Kristin Harris and Miguel Espinoza were involved in restraining Camacho.
—Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Jan. 2026
Last week, videos ricocheted across social media showing federal immigration agents restraining a man inside a Walmart in Minnesota and detaining individuals at the entrance of a Target.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 21 Jan. 2026
Kimberly Cole is accused of forcing her son to eat hot sauce as a punishment and restraining him with zip ties and handcuffs.
—Dale Denwalt, Oklahoman, 20 Jan. 2026
To him, the beloved community was never simply about restraining harm or condemning injustice after the fact.
—Deborah Archer, Time, 19 Jan. 2026
Jeff Cox, CNBC, 10 Feb. 2026
Ultimately, officers decided to take him forcibly, restraining him in something called the WRAP, a device comprising a locking shoulder harness, leg restraints and ankle straps.
—Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
The video’s footage amplifies the flagrant dishonesty of the Administration’s statements about the threat Alex Pretti posed to the multiple officers who were physically restraining him before he was killed.
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 29 Jan. 2026
Some of the cases filed so far do seem to describe potential assaults on officers, such as a pair of incidents in which two women are alleged to have bitten the fingers of the Border Patrol agents who were restraining them.
—Quinta Jurecic, The Atlantic, 28 Jan. 2026
Deputies Christian Anderson, Zachary Dalton, Christopher Bearss, Kristin Harris and Miguel Espinoza were involved in restraining Camacho.
—Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Jan. 2026
Last week, videos ricocheted across social media showing federal immigration agents restraining a man inside a Walmart in Minnesota and detaining individuals at the entrance of a Target.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 21 Jan. 2026
Kimberly Cole is accused of forcing her son to eat hot sauce as a punishment and restraining him with zip ties and handcuffs.
—Dale Denwalt, Oklahoman, 20 Jan. 2026
To him, the beloved community was never simply about restraining harm or condemning injustice after the fact.
—Deborah Archer, Time, 19 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for restraining
Verb
-
Several students protested the club in December, claiming the program’s outside influence violates a section of the Equal Access Act prohibiting people outside a school from directing conduct, controlling or regularly attending student groups.—
Addison Wright,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Feb. 2026
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In court and to the Broward Sheriff’s Office, Mary Gingles repeatedly reported abusive and controlling behavior by Gingles, including threats to her life, in the months leading up to the murders.—
Shira Moolten,
Sun Sentinel,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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To be sure, arresting undocumented immigrants who have committed violent crimes is a worthy goal.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The Iranian regime, in addition to arresting protesters, has started targeting anyone who has attempted to help them.—
Cora Engelbrecht,
New Yorker,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Trump was expected to have a much more hands-off approach to regulating business combinations.—
Jeff Marks,Morgan Chittum,
CNBC,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Environmental groups and concerned countries see regulating ship fuel as the only way to realistically reduce black carbon.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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China is seizing an opportunity to challenge American dominance in global finance and exert greater international influence at the expense of the all-powerful US dollar.—
Stephanie Yang,
CNN Money,
4 Feb. 2026
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Allegations include entering homes without warrants, stopping, intimidating and seizing legal observers, and detaining suspects by virtue of their appearance or accent.—
Yohuru Williams,
The Conversation,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The plaintiffs argued that the surge was not genuinely aimed at curbing immigration violations, but was designed instead to coerce the cities and the state into participating in federal immigration enforcement, a violation of the 10th Amendment.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
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For instance, the tool’s training data draw largely from bulk tissue datasets, curbing its reliability in rare cell types or specific developmental stages, notes Christina Leslie, a computational biologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.—
Elie Dolgin,
IEEE Spectrum,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Hearing the faint sirens of the white police officers who have been monitoring the area for no real reason, Kid attempts to blend into the party by grabbing the mic of the bored DJ—played by Parliament-Funkadelic’s George Clinton—to freestyle.—
Alphonse Pierre,
Pitchfork,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Or, Stein recommends grabbing a bed/mattress vacuum that is made specifically for the mattress.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
12 Feb. 2026
Verb
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At the same time, a salty liquid containing calcium chloride (a salt often used to de-ice roads) is pumped through the regenerator, which carries the heat away and ejects it to the surroundings on exit.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
5 Feb. 2026
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The National Institutes of Health reports that oregano oil repels bedbugs more effectively than commercial insecticides containing DEET.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Cellphone footage provided by the North Hills United Methodist Church showed armed agents who appeared to be performing an immigration enforcement operation chasing and eventually apprehending Chavez in the parking lot.—
Austin Turner,
CBS News,
2 Feb. 2026
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The federal statute authorizes law enforcement agencies to aid Immigration and Customs Enforcement in investigating, apprehending and detaining people in the country illegally.—
Richard Ruelas,
AZCentral.com,
22 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Restraining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/restraining. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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