as in constraints
something that limits one's freedom of action or choice
civil libertarians contend that the new laws place too many restraints on our constitutionally guaranteed rights
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of restraints
Nearly two dozen people appear detained with hand restraints.
—
Itzel Luna,
Los Angeles Times,
28 June 2026
Being out of office and fine-tuning the GOP allowed Trump to enter his second term free of restraints, Haberman and Swan said.
—
Claire Carter,
The Washington Examiner,
28 June 2026
Mercado appeared in federal court in Chicago Friday afternoon before Judge Gabriel Fuentes with restraints around his ankles.
—
Elyssa Kaufman,
CBS News,
26 June 2026
Its work on China points to soft labor conditions, housing weakness, high savings and cautious income expectations as restraints on household spending.
—
Ron Schmelzer,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2026
The pilot managed to release his seat restraints, open a cargo door, deploy his emergency parachute and jump as the plane spiraled into a field, the report said.
—
Judy L. Thomas,
Kansas City Star,
23 June 2026
Obviously there are certain timing restraints.
—
Madeline Coleman,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
That exemption allows the major pro leagues to feature salary caps, luxury taxes, maximum salaries and other blatant restraints on earning opportunities that might run afoul of antitrust law since those rules are bargained with unions and thus exempt from antitrust scrutiny.
—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
10 June 2026
Some employees weren’t using hair restraints, raw eggs were stored above ready-to-eat food and rodent droppings were found in the kitchen.
—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 June 2026
Itzel Luna,
Los Angeles Times,
28 June 2026
Being out of office and fine-tuning the GOP allowed Trump to enter his second term free of restraints, Haberman and Swan said.
—
Claire Carter,
The Washington Examiner,
28 June 2026
Mercado appeared in federal court in Chicago Friday afternoon before Judge Gabriel Fuentes with restraints around his ankles.
—
Elyssa Kaufman,
CBS News,
26 June 2026
Its work on China points to soft labor conditions, housing weakness, high savings and cautious income expectations as restraints on household spending.
—
Ron Schmelzer,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2026
The pilot managed to release his seat restraints, open a cargo door, deploy his emergency parachute and jump as the plane spiraled into a field, the report said.
—
Judy L. Thomas,
Kansas City Star,
23 June 2026
Obviously there are certain timing restraints.
—
Madeline Coleman,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
That exemption allows the major pro leagues to feature salary caps, luxury taxes, maximum salaries and other blatant restraints on earning opportunities that might run afoul of antitrust law since those rules are bargained with unions and thus exempt from antitrust scrutiny.
—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
10 June 2026
Some employees weren’t using hair restraints, raw eggs were stored above ready-to-eat food and rodent droppings were found in the kitchen.
—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for restraints
Noun
-
The trick is to find workloads that fit within those constraints or can be cleanly split across many small nodes.
-
In a franchise system, innovation has to work for owners with real operating constraints.
Noun
-
Her remarks come amid mounting allegations that military restrictions slowed aid deliveries and prevented civilians—and in some cases rescue crews—from getting to critical areas during the early phase of the emergency.
-
Connecticut The Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) allows transgender student-athletes to participate in sports consistent with their gender identity without restrictions.
Noun
-
Local services and programs affected by the weather included some office closings and even limitations on waterpark hours.
-
Claims about savings, refunds, fees, limitations and problem-solving should be clear to customers and AI systems.
Cite this Entry
“Restraints.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/restraints. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
