constrain
verb (used with object)
to force, compel, or oblige.
constraining
-
present participleof constrain.present participle
A verb form that is used in progressive verb constructions and may also function as a modifier or a gerund.
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.
This leads to people constraining their budgets early in retirement, and dying with even more money than they started with at the beginning of retirement.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 15, 2026
"Ever since the 2011 magnitude 9.0 Tohoku-oki earthquake in Japan, we realized that the tsunami data had really valuable information for constraining shallow slip," said Melgar.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 25, 2026
The spending scrutiny is constraining Altman’s once-boundless ambitions ahead of a potential initial public offering that could take place by the end of the year.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 28, 2026
That will feed a backlash that is already constraining AI, as more communities are fighting against the construction of massive data centers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 27, 2026
In this very weak sense, of course, mathematics is constraining, as is all reality, but it has no independent power to coerce.
From "Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences" by John Allen Paulos
