restraint

noun

ri-ˈstrānt How to pronounce restraint (audio)
Definition of restraintnext
1
as in discipline
the checking of one's true feelings and impulses when dealing with others it will take a great deal of restraint to keep from telling her how ugly that dress is

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2
as in restriction
something that limits one's freedom of action or choice civil libertarians contend that the new laws place too many restraints on our constitutionally guaranteed rights

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3
as in temperance
the power to control one's actions, impulses, or emotions he shows very little restraint or tact when expressing his opinions about others

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of restraint Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has responded with unusual restraint to Trump’s provocations and has resisted demands to pull away from Washington. — C. Raja Mohan, Foreign Affairs, 27 Aug. 2026 Calls for restraint are understandably driven by the worst outcomes that advanced AI systems might produce. — Washington Post, 26 Aug. 2026 And Beijing has in recent days re-upped its messaging urging restraint and normal operations around the strait. — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026 That restraint, that desire for collaboration, isn’t just philosophy. — Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for restraint
Recent Examples of Synonyms for restraint
  1. discipline
  2. restriction
  3. temperance
  4. repression
  5. constraint
  6. nerve
  7. inhibition
  8. limitation
Noun
  • The university, like campuses nationwide, is barred by federal privacy law from discussing individual discipline cases or internal deliberations, even when a student goes public.
    — Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Eisenhower possessed iron discipline, sunny self-confidence and a mind that loved organizational challenges.
    — John T. Shaw, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of discipline
Noun
  • New York City just instituted a sweeping ban on schools using AI in the classroom through the start of high school, along with other restrictions on the technology.
    — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Rosaviatsiya -- announced temporary flight restrictions at airports in Sochi, Gelendzhik, Penza, Saratov, Yaroslavl and Nizhny Novgorod.
    — David Brennan, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of restriction
Noun
  • Why Gen Z is embracing sober curious drinking Three forces are pulling Gen Z toward more selective drinking, and none of them look like old-school temperance.
    — Ryan Brennan, Sacbee.com, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The temperance movement was in full swing then, and the aversion to alcohol was especially strong in the rural South.
    — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of temperance
Noun
  • Frequently subjected to repression and censorship, some of them were excluded from the Association of Visual Artists and thus denied access to state funding, exhibition opportunities, commissions, and official recognition as professional artists.
    — Elisa R. Linn, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026
  • To reassert discipline, the Kremlin not only ramped up its use of selective repression but often drew on anti-spying legislation to do so.
    — Andrei Soldatov, Foreign Affairs, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of repression
Noun
  • Importantly, this outlook not only incorporates the chip supply Broadcom expects to receive, but also physical infrastructure constraints such as land, power, and data center shells.
    — Jeff Marks, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The product should solve a constraint that customers can quantify.
    — John Gabriel, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of constraint
Noun
  • That are, again, all spoken at the same time, in a manner that could grate the nerves coming from the hands of any other filmmaker, but Herzog is entirely sincere and irony-free in his handling.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 3 Sep. 2026
  • One of Amit’s colleagues noticed that mice that had been given psilocybin avoided nerve damage after chemotherapy.
    — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of nerve
Noun
  • As art and its creators have shed their inhibitions in this post-Sadean world, politicians and cultural commentators have reliably lined up to condemn this total freedom of expression as being dangerous to society.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Put inhibitions aside to experience the latest episode of Doc Talk, hosted by John Ridley (12 Years a Slave, Shirley), and Matt Carey, Deadline’s senior documentary editor.
    — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 30 June 2026
Definition of inhibition
Noun
  • The approach is designed around the limitations of small aerial vehicles, where additional weight and continuous motor operation can quickly drain a battery.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Financial constraints might have prevented Jarmond from firing Kelly sooner, but those limitations didn’t prevent him from extending Kelly’s contract in 2023.
    — Mirjam Swanson, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of limitation

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Cite this Entry

“Restraint.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/restraint. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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