as in restrained
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1
as in compelled
to cause (a person) to give in to pressure
constrained by conscience to tell only the truth
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in controlled
to keep from exceeding a desirable degree or level (as of expression)
constrained his anger at the needless interruption
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of constrained
Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 16 Apr. 2026
When temperatures drop, gas demand climbs, and constrained pipelines that supply the region reach capacity, pushing up electric prices.
—Alex Kuffner, The Providence Journal, 10 Apr. 2026
These stocks are rising not because of strong execution, but due to constrained supply, Cramer explained.
—Paulina Likos, CNBC, 1 Apr. 2026
In other words, giving reasonable levers for constrained districts and kids who have a clear career pathway that doesn’t require language study.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026
The airline’s efforts to revive services have been held back by the closure of Qatar’s airspace, alongside the company’s heavier dependence on long-haul corridors that remain constrained.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 25 Mar. 2026
But his brain-imaging studies suggest that, during a psychedelic trip, communication between different regions of the brain becomes far less constrained than during normal consciousness, allowing new ways of thinking to emerge.
—Clayton Dalton, New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2026
Both fables and translations are forms of constrained writing.
—Jan Steyn, The Dial, 10 Mar. 2026
The scene from my dream is commonplace not only in my adopted home, the United States, and other liberal democracies, but even, in a constrained fashion, in the neighboring Turkey and Pakistan.
—Arash Azizi, Time, 3 Feb. 2026
New Atlas, 25 Apr. 2026
Iran’s nuclear ambitions were no longer constrained.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 25 Apr. 2026
Fertilizer is produced using natural gas, which has been constrained due to the war.
—Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 24 Apr. 2026
DeepSeek said service capacity for the V4 Pro series remains constrained due to limited computing resources.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 24 Apr. 2026
With the Iranian supplies constrained, Beijing has turned to Russia to fill the gap.
—Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 23 Apr. 2026
Those who have adopted its use for shopping are driven primarily by convenience and efficiency, but many are constrained by concerns around trust and authenticity.
—Amy O’Brien, Vogue, 22 Apr. 2026
The tactic has greatly constrained Iranian oil exports — about 90% of which flow through the Strait of Hormuz — contributing to rising inflationary pressure.
—Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
Satellite-to-phone services remain bandwidth-constrained and primarily focus on enabling users in cellular dead zones to send text messages, though Starlink Mobile can power select apps and even video calls.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
The airport's air traffic controllers have also been facing challenges of constrained gate capacity and taxiway closures from long-term construction projects.
—Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 16 Apr. 2026
When temperatures drop, gas demand climbs, and constrained pipelines that supply the region reach capacity, pushing up electric prices.
—Alex Kuffner, The Providence Journal, 10 Apr. 2026
These stocks are rising not because of strong execution, but due to constrained supply, Cramer explained.
—Paulina Likos, CNBC, 1 Apr. 2026
In other words, giving reasonable levers for constrained districts and kids who have a clear career pathway that doesn’t require language study.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026
The airline’s efforts to revive services have been held back by the closure of Qatar’s airspace, alongside the company’s heavier dependence on long-haul corridors that remain constrained.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 25 Mar. 2026
But his brain-imaging studies suggest that, during a psychedelic trip, communication between different regions of the brain becomes far less constrained than during normal consciousness, allowing new ways of thinking to emerge.
—Clayton Dalton, New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2026
Both fables and translations are forms of constrained writing.
—Jan Steyn, The Dial, 10 Mar. 2026
The scene from my dream is commonplace not only in my adopted home, the United States, and other liberal democracies, but even, in a constrained fashion, in the neighboring Turkey and Pakistan.
—Arash Azizi, Time, 3 Feb. 2026
Verb
And even on a track, aboard a proper sportsbike, we’re still constrained by the machine, the environment, and, more than anything, our own skill.
—New Atlas, 25 Apr. 2026
Iran’s nuclear ambitions were no longer constrained.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 25 Apr. 2026
Fertilizer is produced using natural gas, which has been constrained due to the war.
—Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 24 Apr. 2026
DeepSeek said service capacity for the V4 Pro series remains constrained due to limited computing resources.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 24 Apr. 2026
With the Iranian supplies constrained, Beijing has turned to Russia to fill the gap.
—Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 23 Apr. 2026
Those who have adopted its use for shopping are driven primarily by convenience and efficiency, but many are constrained by concerns around trust and authenticity.
—Amy O’Brien, Vogue, 22 Apr. 2026
The tactic has greatly constrained Iranian oil exports — about 90% of which flow through the Strait of Hormuz — contributing to rising inflationary pressure.
—Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
Satellite-to-phone services remain bandwidth-constrained and primarily focus on enabling users in cellular dead zones to send text messages, though Starlink Mobile can power select apps and even video calls.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 22 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for constrained
Adjective
-
To the left is a relaxed deck for post-dip chilling; to the right is the beautifully restrained restaurant, partly enclosed in a glasshouse with an undulating canopy roof.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Neither restrained nor overpowering.—
Brock Keeling,
Oc Register,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Shiver, who no longer works at Michigan, said she felt compelled to speak out so other young women are not caught in similar circumstances.—
David K. Li,
NBC news,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Given his Day 3 status, the Panthers won’t feel compelled to rush him into starter duty.—
Mike Kaye
April 22,
Charlotte Observer,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
If the user followed the instructions, including entering a PIN or scanning a QR code, their Signal accounts were linked to an external device controlled by the hackers.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Apr. 2026
-
McKinsey estimates that $100 trillion in wealth will pass to the next generation over the next few decades—and by 2030, 40% of investable wealth will be controlled by women.—
Nicholas Gordon,
Fortune,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
School is the crucible where raw vitality encounters the collective will to impose order and control but also to bring cultural richness to lives that might otherwise remain inhibited and crude.—
Tim Parks,
The New York Review of Books,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Her last and only boyfriend, Tim, would have been too inhibited.—
Cassandra Neyenesch,
New Yorker,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
He was forced off with what looked like a hamstring injury, and with only four matches remaining, there is now a very real possibility that Salah has played his final game for Liverpool.—
Abdul Rehman,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Even though the pushing and throwing motions forced the robots into excursions near the boundaries of their physical workspaces, and the pick-and-place maneuver demanded complex internal mathematical checks, all three machines were able to learn a functional policy via a single human demonstration.—
Jacek Krywko,
ArsTechnica,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
They’re regulated by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to ensure proper safeguards are in place to prevent microscopic cement particles from causing health problems in nearby residents.—
Harrison Mantas,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The president did not legalize psychedelics or weed, but his orders change the way these drugs will be regulated.—
O. Rose Broderick,
STAT,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The film explores a teenager’s struggles in 1998 alongside his mother’s repressed trauma from the 1948 Jeju April 3 Uprising.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Fuqua’s focus is on the music, with songwriting, video production and choreography scenes, and full-length live performances tackled with staggering precision by Jaafar Jackson, who also sensitively delivers Michael’s repressed anguish in confrontational scenes with his father.—
Katie Walsh,
Twin Cities,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But some were also deceived or coerced.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
-
In the case against Roy Blackmon, two witnesses later testified their statements were coerced.—
Ray Sanchez,
CNN Money,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Constrained.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/constrained. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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