RESTRAINT Synonyms: 107 Similar and Opposite Words

restraint

noun

ri-ˈstrānt

Definition of restraint

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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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 restraint That’s what the Prophet Muhammad was doing in exhibiting restraint with the angry villagers. — Casper Ter Kuile, Vox, 21 Oct. 2026 Yes, indeed, although voluntary export restraints raise a series of technical issues. — semafor.com, 20 Oct. 2026 On the opposite end of the spectrum, minimalist sneakers offered a lesson in the art of restraint. — Kristina Rutkowski, Vogue, 20 Oct. 2026 In the United States, the $2 trillion federal budget deficit reflects a collective unwillingness by the country’s political class to impose the taxes and fiscal restraint needed to cover the mounting costs of Social Security and Medicare. — Niall Ferguson, Foreign Affairs, 20 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for restraint

Recent Examples of Synonyms for restraint

Noun

And his prescription is tighter discipline — a major theme of the four day party meeting.

— Andy Browne, semafor.com, 27 Oct. 2026
Law enforcement and schools districts continually urge parents to warn their children of the consequences of making false or written threats, including facing a felony charge and school discipline.

— Angie DiMichele, Sun Sentinel, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of discipline

Noun

For instance, the Supreme Court in late October allowed New Hampshire to enforce restrictions on using student identification cards as valid voter IDs.

— Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 28 Oct. 2026
McKnight ordered the restrictions after the Holy See’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF), which handles certain disciplinary actions involving clergy, issued a penal precept for Kallal.

— Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of restriction

Noun

As the temperance movement grew, the Besley Brewery attempted to change with the times, but was later sold around 1912.

— Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026
Founded in 1961 by a puppeteer who acquired a former Victorian temperance hall damaged during the Blitz of World War II, the theater holds one of the world’s last remaining double marionette bridges, suitable for long-string puppets.

— Kelly Kasulis Cho, Christian Science Monitor, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of temperance

Noun

This is increasingly important as water scarcity places pressure on communities and infrastructure, even in traditionally water-secure regions, leading to restrictions and, in some cases, constraints on power generation.

— H.E. Dr Abdulla Saif Al Jarwan, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
Tehran fears that surrendering its maritime leverage first would invite fresh demands; Washington worries that easing pressure would reward coercion without securing lasting constraints on Iran’s nuclear program.

— Ali Vaez, Time, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of constraint

Noun

Back in 2023, Stevens revealed he was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome—a rare auto-immune disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks the nerves—and was working to relearn how to walk and use his hands.

— Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 27 Oct. 2026
Johns Hopkins University researchers created a similar prosthetic device that instead maps pressure variables and sends them back to the observer using an electromyography (EMG) link hooked directly into deep muscle and nerve pathways.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of nerve

Noun

In my experience, the involvement of ketamine or other drugs invariably makes a bad situation worse – complicating consent, impairing judgment and reducing inhibitions.

— Christopher P. Holstege, The Conversation, 15 Oct. 2026
Many visual motifs emerge, most notably the men in the crowd who shed any inhibitions to cry, dance, and belt the songs at the top of their lungs.

— Marshall Shaffer, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of inhibition

Noun

Because of this limitation, even the emergence of an antibiotic-resistant strain won’t necessarily spark a new pandemic, Wagner says, noting that such strains have already shown up in Madagascar.

— Faye Flam, Scientific American, 27 Oct. 2026
Hurun cross-checked its information with entrepreneurs, regulators, industry experts and others to compile the list, while acknowledging limitations.

— ABC News, ABC News, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of limitation

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restrains

restraint

restraints

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“Restraint.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/restraint. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of restraint

noun

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