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

“Customers do not fund their vendors’ factories unless the constraint is real,” he said.

From MarketWatch ● 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

Perhaps more concerning for the industry, though, a spread of moratoria could add a constraint to an already scarce market for data-center sites that have adequate access to power, water and other resources.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026

“I must not touch you,” he said, with extreme constraint; saying that he looked away.

From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin

"I think facilities like emergency tents need to be provided immediately, but I also see that district and regional governments are struggling due to budget constraints, limited supplies, and so on," he said.

From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026

A study looking at adherence to the Mediterranean diet among U.S. college students found that those with more financial security were better able to follow the Mediterranean diet than those with more financial constraints.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 16, 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

“AI is reshaping the economy by providing automation that transcends traditional time and capacity constraints, enabling businesses to operate seamlessly around the clock,” Konstantine Buhler, a partner at Sequoia Capital, told me last year.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026

Variants of the model exist with more romantically plausible constraints.

From "Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences" by John Allen Paulos

Related Words

• curb
• hindrance
• restraint