constriction
Americannoun
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the act of constricting.
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the state of being constricted; tightness or inward pressure.
- Synonyms:
- stricture, contraction, compression
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a constricted part.
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something that constricts.
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Phonetics. an articulated narrowing of the vocal tract that in consonants audibly obstructs the flow of air and in vowels defines an interconnection between or among resonance cavities.
noun
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a feeling of tightness in some part of the body, such as the chest
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the act of constricting or condition of being constricted
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something that is constricted
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genetics a localized narrow region of a chromosome, esp at the centromere
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of constriction
1350–1400; Middle English < Late Latin constrīctiōn- (stem of constrīctiō ), equivalent to Latin constrīct ( us ) ( see constrict) + -iōn- -ion
Explanation
A constriction is a tight squeeze. If you have asthma, you know that the constriction of the airways makes it hard to breathe. If you’re a snake, you know that the constriction of a mouse makes a good dinner. The word constriction comes from the Latin constringere for "compress," which is what constrictions do. If a hose is running and you squeeze it in the middle, that constriction cuts off the flow. A highway that goes from four lanes to one causes a constriction, or bottleneck. A constriction can also be a tight feeling in your body. If you’re afraid there’s a boa constrictor under your bed, you might feel a constriction in your chest.
Vocabulary lists containing constriction
Across Five Aprils
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Serafina and the Splintered Heart
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string, strict
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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.
Here he exploited the Venturi principle, which shows that the velocity of a fluid or gas increases as it passes through a constriction.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026
Pupil constriction began roughly 12 seconds before CSF moved out of the brain and reversed after attention returned.
From Science Daily ● Jan. 20, 2026
The introduction of Turner somewhat cushions that constriction, but more so by the sights of Ellis-Taylor’s remarkable Hattie.
From Salon ● Dec. 13, 2024
And that does feel like a bit of a backslide because of the constriction of this industry right now.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 3, 2024
His chest heaved once, as if his large heart, weary of despotic constriction, had expanded, despite the will, and made a vigorous bound for the attainment of liberty.
From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
