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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Ash
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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.
That’s mainly because global refining capacity for finished fuels is severely constrained by geopolitical conflicts and facility disruptions, even as crude supplies remain relatively stable.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 16, 2026
Because Bill Clinton, who was president when Roth IRAs were enacted in 1997, was wary of giving wealthy Americans a tax break they didn’t need, contribution limits also were constrained by family income.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
But any U.S. contribution will likely be constrained by size, BMI says.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
Sánchez has accused migrant traffickers of exploiting a decision recently made by the country's supreme court which constrained the government's right to immediately deport people who had arrived by sea.
From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026
Seaborg’s early life told the same quintessentially American story of immigration and assimilation as Ernest Lawrence’s, although his upbringing was rather more insular and culturally constrained than that in the Lawrences’ educated household.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
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.
