constraint

noun

con·​straint kən-ˈstrānt 

1

a

: the act of constraining

b

: the state of being checked, restricted, or compelled to avoid or perform some action

… the constraint and monotony of a monastic life …

—Matthew Arnold

a life of invalidism and constraint

c

: a constraining condition, agency, or force : check

put legal constraints on the board's activities

Budget constraints have forced me to revise my travel plans.

2

a

: repression of one's own feelings, behavior, or actions

emotional constraint

b

: a sense of being constrained : embarrassment

" … a constraint between us as if we were strangers … "

—John P. Marquand

Synonyms

• continence
• discipline
• discretion
• inhibition
• refrainment
• repression
• reserve
• restraint
• self-command
• self-control
• self-restraint
• suppression

Examples of constraint in a Sentence

Lack of funding has been a major constraint on the building's design.

They demand freedom from constraint.

They refuse to work under constraint any longer.

Recent Examples on the Web

Keep in mind: The possibility of budget constraints has been on the administration’s radar. —Catherine E. Shoichet, CNN, 25 Jan. 2025

But the magic of Presence is its feeling of constraint. —David Sims, The Atlantic, 25 Jan. 2025

Federal regulators have struggled to hold insurance companies accountable for improperly denying mental health coverage, in part because of staffing and budgetary constraints. —Duaa Eldeib, ProPublica, 24 Jan. 2025

Ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of valuable data requires robust security measures tailored to the unique constraints, vulnerabilities, and distributed nature of edge environments. —Pierluca Chiodelli, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Middle French constrainte, from constraindre — see constrain

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

constraint

noun

con·​straint kən-ˈstrānt 

1

: the act of constraining : the state of being constrained

2

: something that constrains : check

3

: a holding back of one's feelings, actions, or behavior