constrained
Americanadjective
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forced, compelled, or obliged.
a constrained confession.
-
stiff or unnatural; uneasy or embarrassed.
a constrained manner.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of constrained
Explanation
Something that's constrained is forced, unnatural and not very spontaneous — kind of like a linebacker trying to perform the ballet Swan Lake. Constrained contains the word strained for a reason. Mostly because anyone that's constrained is feeling a fair amount of strain because of it. In addition to referring to unnatural or uncharacteristic behavior, being constrained can also mean being held back or forced to do something you don't want to do. If your budget has taken a hit, for example, you may feel constrained financially. If you are on a diet, you may feel constrained by the Weight Watchers point system.
Vocabulary lists containing constrained
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
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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.
Moody’s said its rating for SpaceX is constrained, however, by execution and financial risks tied to its large-scale AI infrastructure buildout.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 18, 2026
They shaded you from the sun, protected your privacy, drew you toward other people while still making even the most constrained sites feel alive.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 18, 2026
“Higher-for-longer mortgage rates are becoming more widely accepted, and pent-up demand built over years of constrained affordability and limited inventory is beginning to assert itself,” she said in a statement.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 18, 2026
"Iran will be constrained by the amount of resources that they can deploy to rebuilding, because they will also have to address basic economic conditions."
From BBC • Jun. 11, 2026
We have been for months constrained in scenes of prodigious sickness and desolation; we cannot but feel gratitude that we exchange these sad prospects for new views.
From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson
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.
