constraint
Americannoun
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limitation or restriction.
- Synonyms:
- pressure, obligation, force
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repression of natural feelings and impulses.
to practice constraint.
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unnatural restraint in manner, conversation, etc.; embarrassment.
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something that constrains.
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the act of constraining.
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the condition of being constrained.
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Linguistics. a restriction on the operation of a linguistic rule or the occurrence of a linguistic construction.
noun
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compulsion, force, or restraint
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repression or control of natural feelings or impulses
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a forced unnatural manner; inhibition
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something that serves to constrain; restrictive condition
social constraints kept him silent
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linguistics any very general restriction on a sentence formation rule
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of constraint
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English constreinte, from Middle French, noun use of feminine past participle of constreindre “to constrain”; see constrain
Explanation
A constraint is a limit or restriction. Hopefully your school won't cut the sports or music programs due to budget constraints! You might notice that constraint is similar to the verb constrict, as in boa constrictor. A constraint tightens around you like a snake and prevents you from doing what you want. Financial constraints prevent you from buying the latest electronic device. Are you tired of living under the constraint of your parents' rules? Sometimes your worries or feelings act as a constraint. You know that someone has become a close friend when you can talk to them without constraint.
Vocabulary lists containing constraint
Night
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Unbroken
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And Then There Were None
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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.
“There’s a real kind of bottleneck with a constraint on engineering capacity. There’s great ambition for what people would like to do,” Spence said.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026
These data centers are designed to be powered by solar panels, eliminating the power constraint faced by data centers on Earth, and one of the major ecological issues with the emerging technology.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 12, 2026
For many, Article 9 is not just a legal constraint, but a moral commitment shaped by the devastation of past wars.
From BBC • May 7, 2026
Because in a world in which there’s some constraint on political gerrymandering, it’s not unreasonable for folks to think, Well, let’s really put some teeth into that constraint in our state.
From Slate • May 7, 2026
He might have noticed that a curious constraint came over the other members of the party.
From "And Then There Were None" by Agatha Christie
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.
