Constraint meaning

kən-strānt'
The definition of a constraint is something that imposes a limit or restriction or that prevents something from occurring.

An example of a constraint is the fact that there are only so many hours in a day to accomplish things.

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The threat or use of force to prevent, restrict, or dictate the action or thought of others.
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Embarrassed reserve or reticence; awkwardness.
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A constraining or being constrained.
  • Confinement or restriction.
  • Compulsion or coercion.
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The state of being restricted or confined within prescribed bounds.

Soon tired of the constraint of military life.

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Something that constrains.
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Something that constrains.
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(mathematics) A condition that a solution to an optimization problem must satisfy.
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One that restricts, limits, or regulates; a check.

Ignored all moral constraints in his pursuit of success.

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Origin of constraint

  • Middle English constreinte from Old French from feminine past participle of constraindre to constrain constrain
    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
  • From Middle English, from Middle French constrainte, from verb constraindre (French: contraindre).
    From Wiktionary

Constraint Sentence Examples

  • Liberty, he holds, is simply freedom from constraint, " the power.

  • This was far from resulting in any cooperation of the nationalities in realizing their former ideal; on the contrary, they felt themselves free from all constraint, and formed Governments having no connexion with the old state.

  • He not only showed no sign of constraint or self-reproach on account of his outburst that morning, but, on the contrary, tried to reassure Balashev.

  • At first the family felt some constraint in intercourse with Prince Andrew; he seemed a man from another world, and for a long time Natasha trained the family to get used to him, proudly assuring them all that he only appeared to be different, but was really just like all of them, and that she was not afraid of him and no one else ought to be.

  • bar chain, as it is called, can be and is used as the basis of many mechanisms. Another way of considering the question of constraint is to imagine any one link of the chain fixed; then, however the chain be moved, the path of a point, as a, will always remain the same.

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Also Mentioned In

Words near constraint in the Dictionary