constraint

American  

[kuhn-streynt] / 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

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

constraint constraints

The critical constraint would be on the president’s power to remove Fed governors.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026

Governments have responded to this mathematical constraint by choosing which principle they are prepared to weaken.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 2, 2026

“The Commission found that streaming platforms offering children’s content will continue to act as a competitive constraint on the merged entity’s TV channels,” the agency said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026

The loser of Humphrey’s Executor was Franklin D. Roosevelt, and 15 presidents of both parties operated under its constraint.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026

My feet rang on the flagged stones, echoing to the ceiling, and I felt guilty at the sound, as one does in church, self-conscious, aware of the same constraint.

From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier

D. R. Horton last month said that “affordability constraints and cautious consumer sentiment” continue to impact demand for new homes.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 14, 2026

It did not make any reference to Ukraine's attacks but said it was "taking into account current logistical constraints".

From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026

"The recovery in growth rates, which was already recorded in March, continues despite ongoing external pressure and constraints in certain sectors," said Russia's economy minister Maxim Reshetnikov.

From Barron's ● Aug. 12, 2026

Meta Platforms acknowledged this week receiving notification from an independent testing company that one of its AI models breached its testing constraints.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

And since the buildings were just pieces of software, their design wasn’t limited by monetary constraints, or even by the laws of physics.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline

Related Words

• curb
• hindrance
• restraint