How to Use constrain in a Sentence

constrain

verb
Definition of constrainnext
Synonyms for constrainnext
  • Most movies that aspire to humanism of that kind inevitably will be constrained by the need for commercial success.
    — Dan Bekerman, Deadline, 1 Nov. 2024
  • Lucid has warned supply chain disruptions and ramp-up problems could constrain its ability to build cars at scale.
    — Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2021
  • In Rome, police on one occasion used tear gas and water cannons to constrain protesters.
    — Washington Post, 12 Nov. 2021
  • Overall, the present inflation is likely to constrain production . . .
    — Andrew Stuttaford, National Review, 30 Oct. 2021
  • But even if an election could be held—which is hard to imagine in the chaos of this war—Aoun’s powers would be constrained by the Lebanese power-sharing system.
    — Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 31 Oct. 2024
  • The drugged reptiles had been outfitted with their gear and constrained by containers that resembled huge, long coolers with removable wire-mesh tops and collapsible doors in the front.
    — Jeff Vandermeer, WIRED, 22 Oct. 2024
  • But China’s supply chains are under pressure, and rising raw materials costs as well as energy prices constrain its ability to produce as well.
    — Andrew Stuttaford, National Review, 30 Oct. 2021
  • Shot over the course of several years, the film chronicles how the bonds of family and tradition can constrain, reconcile, and elevate souls in unexpected ways.
    — BostonGlobe.com, 4 Nov. 2021
  • Think about that: the traditional argument is that environmental rules constrain the economy.
    — Ken Silverstein, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2021
  • But, today, far too many people in America want to constrain public discourse to what is socially acceptable at that particular moment in time.
    — Garry Kasparov, CNN, 8 Nov. 2021
  • Imagine the electrons in an atom are constrained within the atom by a wall.
    — Niranjan Shivaram, The Conversation, 4 Oct. 2023
  • The four dots represent walls; the fifth, the inmate constrained by them.
    — Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2024
  • That's going to be a big, big concern that is tough to constrain.
    — Wired Staff, WIRED, 13 Oct. 2022
  • Beijing, on the other hand, has been much less constrained by the need for balance.
    — Mark Leonard, Foreign Affairs, 8 Jan. 2024
  • That’s one less seller and buyer, which constrains both sides of the market.
    — Byalena Botros, Fortune, 23 Aug. 2023
  • Guettel’s score is worth waiting for, even constrained by the directness of the premise.
    — Vulture, 6 June 2023
  • The researchers could now use the starting molecule to constrain that slice.
    — Elise Cutts, Quanta Magazine, 21 June 2023
  • Whether or not life is constrained to our definition of it here on Earth.
    — Lauren Goode, WIRED, 21 Mar. 2024
  • With the structure built three feet from the property line, the couple were constrained by city code in the amount of windows allowed on the side of the building.
    — Marissa Gluck, Los Angeles Times, 20 Nov. 2023
  • Providers are constrained by how much parents are willing and able to pay, which means wages for workers are low.
    — Axios, 31 July 2024
  • In the models, the research team didn’t constrain how far the flying mammals could migrate.
    — Andrew Joseph, STAT, 29 Apr. 2022
  • But even then, the ILWU’s actions may be constrained by contract rules.
    — Don Lee, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2024
  • Very few laws in the US even relate to data brokers, let alone constrain their actions.
    — WIRED, 2 Sep. 2022
  • Some parts are going to be constrained by the government on certain things.
    — Luisa Beltran, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2024
  • Set in the '70s, the film follows five sisters who are constrained by their strict religious parents.
    — Amy MacKelden, Harper's BAZAAR, 12 Apr. 2023
  • Richard Klein, who organized the show, said he was drawn to the way McCloud had forged his own path, and refused to be constrained by a single style.
    — Robin Pogrebin, New York Times, 2 June 2024
  • Still, players were constrained only by innings and outs, not time.
    — USA Today, 28 Mar. 2023
  • Hybrid work is more constraining than some might think.
    — Amber Burton, Fortune, 21 July 2023
  • Due to the aforementioned thin atmosphere, the team was constrained to a mass of just 4 pounds (less than 2 kg) for the entire helicopter.
    — Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 29 Jan. 2024
  • Borders and boundaries no longer constrain the spread of distant outbreaks.
    — Ron Barrett, Discover Magazine, 11 May 2024

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'constrain.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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