constrict
verb
con·strict
kən-ˈstrikt 
constricted; constricting; constricts
1
2
: to stultify, stop, or cause to falter : inhibit
The expectation of violence constricts our lives.—
Marge Piercy
Marge Piercy
: to become constricted
The drug causes the blood vessels to constrict.
Did you know?
Arteries constricted by cholesterol slow the flow of blood, just as traffic arteries or highways constricted by accidents slow the flow of traffic. But constriction isn't always physical. Economic growth may be constricted by trade barriers. A narrow, constricted life may be the result of poverty or lack of opportunity. And an actress may feel constricted by a role she played as a child or by her TV character from years ago, which the public refuses to forget.
Examples of constrict in a Sentence
The drug is used to constrict blood vessels.
The declining economy has constricted job opportunities.
a life constricted by poverty and disease
He felt constricted by their notions of what was proper.
Recent Examples on the Web
But as the media business has started to constrict, budgets have tightened too.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 21 Nov. 2024
Simone doesn’t want to be an American on a trip of self-discovery, but the structure of the play constricts her into being just that.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 28 Oct. 2024
In contrast, low-power poses, with the body slumped and constricted, lead to low-arousal negative emotions (like sadness).
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 24 Sep. 2024
Neurosurgeons performed what is called a decompressive craniectomy, in which part of the skull was removed to give Giffords' swelling brain room to expand without being constricted by bone.
—Stephanie Innes, The Arizona Republic, 2 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for constrict 
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Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 21 Nov. 2024
Simone doesn’t want to be an American on a trip of self-discovery, but the structure of the play constricts her into being just that.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 28 Oct. 2024
In contrast, low-power poses, with the body slumped and constricted, lead to low-arousal negative emotions (like sadness).
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 24 Sep. 2024
Neurosurgeons performed what is called a decompressive craniectomy, in which part of the skull was removed to give Giffords' swelling brain room to expand without being constricted by bone.
—Stephanie Innes, The Arizona Republic, 2 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for constrict
Dictionary Entries Near constrict
Cite this Entry
“Constrict.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/constrict. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
constrict
verb
con·strict
kən-ˈstrikt
Medical Definition
constrict
transitive verb
con·strict
kən-ˈstrikt
1
: to make narrow or draw together
constrict the pupil of the eye
2
: to subject (as a body part) to compression
constrict a nerve
: to become constricted
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