unconstrained
Britishadjective
Explanation
Use unconstrained to describe not holding back, like the frenzied fans whose team just won the championship showing their unconstrained joy. In the adjective unconstrained the prefix un-, meaning “not,” meets constrained, meaning “restricted” or “limited.” So something that’s unconstrained means "without limits or restrictions," like an unconstrained child who doesn't have to follow rules, the unconstrained power of a dictator, or an unconstrained dog running loose.
Vocabulary lists containing unconstrained
President Obama's Speech on the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington
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G.2: Regionalization (Sources 1–11)
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Tess of the d'Urbervilles
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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.
The river once terrorized Angelenos; its unconstrained flow was prone to flooding until most of its 51 miles were lined with concrete starting in the 1940s.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2026
When the tankers flow through the Strait again, or if the UAE redoubles its attempts to build new pipelines, Emirati oil will flow like never before, unconstrained by Opec commitments.
From BBC ● Apr. 28, 2026
As they sweep into American cities, immigration officers are unconstrained — and, the experts said, unprepared.
From Salon ● Jan. 14, 2026
Its effect is to give leaders permission to do just about anything they want, unconstrained by guilt, shame or political sanction.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 27, 2025
The investigation revealed that the task force seized large amounts of money, but also small amounts, and then dispensed it freely, unconstrained by reporting requirements or the task force’s mission.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
Definitions 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.
