constrict
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
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to make smaller or narrower, esp by contracting at one place
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to hold in or inhibit; limit
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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nonconstrictingadjective
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unconstrictedadjective
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well-constrictedadjective
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nonconstrictedadjective
Conjugated Forms
Present
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have constrictedperfect
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has been constrictingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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has constrictedperfect 3rd person singular
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have been constrictingperfect progressive
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are constrictingprogressive
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is constrictingprogressive 3rd person singular
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am constrictingprogressive 1st person singular
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constrictingparticiple
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constrictssingular 3rd person
Past
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had constrictedperfect
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had been constrictingperfect progressive
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was constrictingprogressive singular
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were constrictingprogressive plural
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constrictedparticiple
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constrictedsimple
Future
Etymology
Origin of constrict
1375–1425 for earlier past participle sense; 1725–35 for current senses; late Middle English < Latin constrīctus (past participle of constringere to draw together, tie up), equivalent to con- con- + strīc- (variant stem of stringere to tie; see strict) + -tus past participle suffix
Explanation
To constrict is to squeeze uncomfortably. If your new turtleneck sweater constricts your neck, the sweater is probably too small. When things constrict, they become narrow or make something else become narrow. A boa constrictor kills its prey when it constricts the animal's body until it can no longer breathe, and a necktie that's tied too tightly constricts your neck. In medicine, certain conditions or medications can constrict openings such as airways or blood vessels, sometimes dangerously. The Latin root is constringere, "to bind together or tie tightly."
Vocabulary lists containing constrict
Bridge to Terabithia
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"The Leap," Vocabulary from the short story
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Part 1 Vocabulary (Unit 1)
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Iran’s nearly $8 billion crypto ecosystem is growing, and Treasury has moved aggressively to constrict it at the point where crypto must be converted into usable currency, such as dollars.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026
But some economists have criticised the expected hike as it could constrict growth further in the sluggish eurozone by making it more costly for households and businesses to borrow.
From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026
In contrast, exposure to bright light allows the pupil to constrict in response to brightness rather than focusing distance, helping maintain healthier retinal stimulation.
From Science Daily • Feb. 19, 2026
The rapid timetable is designed to constrict the amount of time the two parties have to build a campaigning infrastructure in the constituency.
From BBC • Jan. 26, 2026
The touch of those small fingers on his face—tracing the furrows and ridges of the scars—made Antairis heart constrict, just a little.
From "The Girl Who Drank the Moon" by Kelly Barnhill
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
