constraint

American  

[kuhn-straynt] / kənˈstreɪnt /

noun

• constraints
  plural

1. 

   limitation or restriction.

   Synonyms:

   pressure, obligation, force

2. repression of natural feelings and impulses.

   to practice constraint.

3. unnatural restraint in manner, conversation, etc.; embarrassment.

4. something that constrains.

5. the act of constraining.

6. the condition of being constrained.

7. Linguistics. a restriction on the operation of a linguistic rule or the occurrence of a linguistic construction.

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constraint British  

/ kənˈstreɪnt /

noun

1. compulsion, force, or restraint

2. repression or control of natural feelings or impulses

3. a forced unnatural manner; inhibition

4. something that serves to constrain; restrictive condition

   social constraints kept him silent

5. linguistics any very general restriction on a sentence formation rule

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonconstraint
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• constraints
  plural

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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

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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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

constraint constraints

There are risks to Middle Eastern shipping routes from the conflict, while U.S. production faces constraint as platform shutdowns ahead of a storm curtail around a quarter of Gulf of Mexico production, Abuagla adds.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

A software update removing the constraint on energy limits was issued by governing body the FIA during the subsequeby start delay to enable teams to resolve the issue.

From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026

"The model places a demanding constraint on any proposed absorber," said Paul B. Rimmer of the University of Cambridge, UK.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 13, 2026

This constraint is shaped by broader realities that make money more valuable for women at exactly the moment when time is most needed.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 31, 2026

The differing availability of raw materials imposed an obvious constraint on material culture.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

The financing will focus on early-stage companies in Asia developing scalable hardware that tackles the constraints affecting AI development and energy infrastructure.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026

Commercial constraints can make excess stock difficult to shift at scale.

From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026

The same fundamental physical constraints would still influence how those liquids behave.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 11, 2026

Local zoning, power and labor constraints cap new U.S. tower construction at just 1,200 to 2,000 structures per year, meaning that SpaceX would have to lease existing space from major tower operators.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 9, 2026

In the long run, the evolution of an independent American nation, gradually developing its political and economic strength over the nineteenth century within the protective constraints of the British Empire, was probably inevitable.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

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Related Words

• curb
• hindrance
• restraint

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