constrained

[kuhn-streynd]

adjective

1. forced, compelled, or obliged.

   a constrained confession.

2. stiff or unnatural; uneasy or embarrassed.

   a constrained manner.

constrained

/ kənˈstreɪnɪdlɪ, kənˈstreɪnd /

adjective

1. embarrassed, unnatural, or forced

   a constrained smile

Other Word Forms

• constrainedly adverb
• unconstrained adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of constrained¹

First recorded in 1565–75; constrain + -ed ²

Example Sentences

As Stormont's health minister, Nesbitt is facing ongoing financial challenges due to constrained budgets, while trying to transform services and ensure pay parity for health care workers.

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“Lower U.S. yields, surging industrial demand, constrained physical supply, and robust investor buying are driving prices into uncharted territory.”

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Beijing is looking for the U.S. to remove tariffs, as well as various technology restrictions that have constrained Chinese companies and the broader economy.

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Even as demand is set to surge, aluminum’s supply is likely to be constrained by electricity.

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“The customer is constrained and under pressure,” said Michael Lavin, president and chief operating officer of Consumer Portfolio Services, at a conference last month.

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Related Words

• strained