RESTRAINS Synonyms: 98 Similar and Opposite Words

restrains

verb

present tense third-person singular of restrain

as in regulates

to keep from exceeding a desirable degree or level (as of expression) the victim's family members were unable to restrain their emotions upon hearing the verdict

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in seizes

to take or keep under one's control by authority of law the suspect was restrained and taken to an undisclosed location

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 restrains Farther down, the levee that restrains the rivers is a low line of trees into the horizon. — Sean MacAday, Sacbee.com, 20 Sep. 2026 The constitutional exclusionary rule restrains government, not private parties, so the Fourth Amendment generally does not bar evidence wrongfully obtained by a private actor. — Jihun Joun, The Conversation, 17 Sep. 2026 If Beijing restrains Chinese developers while believing American labs are secretly advancing, China has every reason to defect. — Shlomit Wagman, Fortune, 15 Sep. 2026 In the first act, the elegant Bailey restrains his vocal power to transmit a gentler, more angelic quality to his sound. — Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Sep. 2026 On that same front, Hoffman’s order restrains the NCAA from enforcing the rule of restitution. — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 29 Aug. 2026 Elsewhere on the canvas, Cassatt restrains herself to match Katherine’s discipline. — Carmen Rosenberg-Miller, Artforum, 6 Aug. 2026 Remarkably, state law also severely restrains cities and counties from setting their own regulations, giving local leaders little sway over local gun policies. — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 17 June 2026 The result is an economic model that favors producers, restrains consumers, and floods international markets with supercheap exports, including steel, solar panels, and electric vehicles. — Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 3 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for restrains

Verb

Doctors point to how the body regulates its own temperature at night, and how a cozy pair of socks can nudge that process along.

— Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Oct. 2026
Every few years, the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, which regulates the sport, makes the teams redesign their cars.

— Sam Knight, New Yorker, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of regulates

Verb

Sid is smart enough to sniff this out, and the show seizes the opportunity to raise the romantic stakes through an adorably British expression of mutual libidinousness.

— Scott Tobias, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2026
That reporting revealed that the state frequently seizes money from legal settlements stemming from medical malpractice, police brutality, workplace injury and other wrongful death lawsuits.

— Ginny Monk, Hartford Courant, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of seizes

Verb

This floor also contains a guest bedroom and bathroom, staff quarters, laundry and a security room.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 27 Oct. 2026
This spice contains plant compounds called gingerols and shogaols, which help lower the level of inflammatory proteins in the body and block inflammation from occurring.

— Carrie Madormo, Verywell Health, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of contains

Verb

Keith arrests our thinking, and cons us into suppressing our critical faculties with the same kind of internalized surveillance that philosopher Michel Foucault broke down to describe a prison’s use of the panopticon in Discipline and Punish.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 19 May 2026
Devlin throws a punch at Stone when the chief arrests him for drunken driving.

— Sandra Dallas, Denver Post, 19 Apr. 2026

Definition of arrests

Verb

Elastic edging keeps the machine-washable covers snug across a range of couch shapes, and the collection comes in several colors, weaves and textures to coordinate with most rooms.

— Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Oct. 2026
This method prevents nitrogen from diluting the exhaust gas, which hinders combustion and keeps the CO₂ concentration relatively low.

— Muskan Bhatia, Interesting Engineering, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of keeps

Verb

If anyone who is hired to MC one of the largest events in golf grabs a microphone and joins in on ‘f you’ chants directed at a player in the event you're being paid to be a part of, that person is undoubtedly being fired, regardless of gender.

— Mark Harris OutKick, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2026
The suspect runs inside, grabs rolls of lottery tickets, stuffs them into a bag and runs out.

— Tara Lynch, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of grabs

Verb

Six in 10 families can’t afford the basic cost of living in the battleground districts that will determine which party controls the House, a Washington Post analysis has found.

— Amy L. Wong, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026
Although Chen Mechan is accused of firing on the Salvadoran’s vehicles, sources said its heavily armed men received backup from Joseph’s 400 Mawozo, which controls the neighboring territory.

— Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of controls

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“Restrains.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/restrains. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of restrains

verb

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