restraint

American  

[ri-streynt] / rɪˈstreɪnt /

noun

1. a restraining action or influence.

   freedom from restraint.

2. Sometimes restraints. a means of or device for restraining, as a harness for the body.

3. the act of restraining, holding back, controlling, or checking.

4. the state or fact of being restrained; restrained; deprivation of liberty; confinement.

   Synonyms:

   incarceration, imprisonment, restriction, circumscription

   Antonyms:

   liberty

5. constraint or reserve in feelings, behavior, etc.

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restraint British  

/ rɪˈstreɪnt /

noun

1. the ability to control or moderate one's impulses, passions, etc

   to show restraint

2. the act of restraining or the state of being restrained

3. something that restrains; restriction

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Other Word Forms

• overrestraint noun
• prerestraint noun

Etymology

Origin of restraint

1350–1400; Middle English restreinte < Middle French restrainte, noun use of feminine past participle of restraindre to restrain

Example Sentences

Extensively trained in crowd management, de-escalation and restraint, SRG is the right choice to police protests around the city.

From The Wall Street Journal

Young people described restraints from untrained agency staff as "rough" but found all recorded instances were "proportionate to the level of risk being managed".

From BBC

At times Guardiola has been seen calling for restraint in his attackers' movements from the touchline, despite affording them more freedom in these areas than in previous seasons.

From BBC

That is how you wind up with our current financial system that marries broad protection from losses and weak official restraints.

From Barron's

The hospital said the use of restraint was carefully planned and only undertaken as a last resort, but it acknowledged "care hadn't always met the standards patients deserve" and apologised to those affected.

From BBC

Related Words

• ban
• constraint
• curb
• embargo
• limit
• prohibition
• reduction
• restriction