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Synonyms

self-restraint

American  
[self-ri-streynt, self-] / ˈsɛlf rɪˈstreɪnt, ˌsɛlf- /

noun

  1. restraint imposed on one by oneself; self-control.


self-restraint British  

noun

  1. restraint imposed by oneself on one's own feelings, desires, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of self-restraint

First recorded in 1765–75

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.

See Examples For:

And I mean, it definitely has a lot of self-restraint attached to it, so who knows if I possess that as well.

From Los Angeles Times Jun. 4, 2026

Xenophon at times tries to show that the Spartans, too, abandoned self-restraint and overextended themselves.

From The Wall Street Journal May 25, 2026

"I would say that a summary of Chinese policy towards Russia is one of self-restraint," he says.

From BBC May 18, 2026

Despite the usual crowds of thousands, the feeling of self-restraint was more evident this year, the 30-year-old told AFP.

From Barron's Nov. 1, 2025

When Snape said nothing, Narcissa seemed to lose what little self-restraint she still possessed.

From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling

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