constrained
Americanadjective
-
forced, compelled, or obliged.
a constrained confession.
-
stiff or unnatural; uneasy or embarrassed.
a constrained manner.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of constrained
Explanation
Something that's constrained is forced, unnatural and not very spontaneous — kind of like a linebacker trying to perform the ballet Swan Lake. Constrained contains the word strained for a reason. Mostly because anyone that's constrained is feeling a fair amount of strain because of it. In addition to referring to unnatural or uncharacteristic behavior, being constrained can also mean being held back or forced to do something you don't want to do. If your budget has taken a hit, for example, you may feel constrained financially. If you are on a diet, you may feel constrained by the Weight Watchers point system.
Vocabulary lists containing constrained
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
They were constrained only by access to these ingredients, which, considering they control Mexico’s main shipping ports, is almost limitless.
From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2026
Tanker traffic through the strait has been heavily constrained since the conflict began.
From MarketWatch • May 6, 2026
The B- rating is constrained by Argentina’s international liquidity, high inflation, and macroeconomic instability.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026
Blanche seems to be quite aggressively auditioning for the AG job, and he also seems to be much less constrained by whatever the thing was that once constrained Bondi.
From Slate • May 4, 2026
It was a packing problem, obviously constrained by the dimensions of the space.
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
