variants
also straightjacket
as in confinement
a jacket that has long arms which can be tied together behind someone's back and that is used to control the movement (as of a violent prisoner or patient)
The magician struggled to free his arms from the straitjacket and escape from the tank of water he was submerged in.
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Recent Examples of straitjacket
The collection, all black save for splashes of red and silky cream and deep brown plum moments, wasn't worth the wait but had bright spots in utility-style vests and jackets, a black funnel-neck piece with tiers of straps down and around like a straightjacket.
—
Anika Reed, USA Today, 18 Feb. 2026
Burns becomes a foil and the butt of jokes of other doctors at the M*A*S*H unit until he is literally driven into a straitjacket.
—David Morgan, CBS News, 16 Feb. 2026
Revenue concerns compared to their direct rivals can be offset by getting back into the Champions League, enabling the club to loosen the financial straitjacket and spend on the players Emery wants, regardless of their age.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2026
The first three weeks saw an 8-year-old aerialist, a 74-year-old comedian, a laser-performing duo from Vietnam and a Las Vegas magician who hung from the ceiling in a straitjacket.
—Itzel Luna, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for straitjacket
Anika Reed, USA Today, 18 Feb. 2026
Burns becomes a foil and the butt of jokes of other doctors at the M*A*S*H unit until he is literally driven into a straitjacket.
—David Morgan, CBS News, 16 Feb. 2026
Revenue concerns compared to their direct rivals can be offset by getting back into the Champions League, enabling the club to loosen the financial straitjacket and spend on the players Emery wants, regardless of their age.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2026
The first three weeks saw an 8-year-old aerialist, a 74-year-old comedian, a laser-performing duo from Vietnam and a Las Vegas magician who hung from the ceiling in a straitjacket.
—Itzel Luna, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for straitjacket
Recent Examples of Synonyms for straitjacket
Noun
-
She likely won’t be sentenced until fall (possibly close to the general election) but will — again, just a likely here — at best face home confinement and at worst more than three years in prison.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
15 May 2026
-
Taylor also mentioned harsh conditions during Chkhikvishvili's nearly yearlong confinement in Moldova, where he was arrested in 2024 on an international warrant, according to his letter to the judge.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
Kelce wore a charcoal-gray plaid suit paired with a black T-shirt and a chain necklace.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
PEOPLE,
17 May 2026
-
Inside was the set for Metro Designers, an outlet of Christie Smith’s clothing chain, which sells monochromatic clothes—one color per month.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
The problem is, when your side lack intensity, aggression and cohesion, those traps are easy to spot and avoid.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
-
The inspector also observed mouse droppings in multiple areas of the kitchen, like behind the grease trap and on dry storage shelves.—
Joseph Hernandez,
Kansas City Star,
16 May 2026
Noun
-
Blackwell was outraged that Stallone was fashioning himself into a style rebel by breaking tradition and showing up collar open, with no bow tie.—
Mike Fleming Jr,
Deadline,
16 May 2026
-
Scheffler was in the thick collar of rough to the right of the par-3 17th, facing a chip over a ridge and down toward the hole.—
Doug Ferguson,
Chicago Tribune,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Straitjacket.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/straitjacket. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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