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Definitions

restraint

[ri-streynt] / rɪˈstreɪnt /
NOUN
self-control
Synonyms
STRONGEST
caution constraint control moderation restriction self-discipline self-restraint
STRONG
abstemiousness abstinence coercion command compulsion confines coolness curtailment economy forbearance grip hindrance hold inhibition limitation prevention repression reserve secretiveness self-denial self-government self-possession silence suppression unnaturalness withholding
Antonyms
STRONG
aid assistance freedom help indulgence liberty release self-indulgence
WEAK
agitation arousal liberation wildness
NOUN
limitation; something that holds
Synonyms
STRONGEST
ban constraint curb embargo limit prohibition reduction restriction
STRONG
abridgment arrest bar barrier bondage bridle captivity chains check command confinement cramp decrease deprivation detention determent deterrence fetters hindrance impediment imprisonment instruction interdict manacles obstacle obstruction order pinions rein repression rope stop stoppage straitjacket string taboo weight
Antonyms
STRONGEST
allowance enlargement permission
STRONG
advantage aid assistance beginning continuation encouragement expansion freedom go help independence indulgence liberation liberty license promotion release start support
WEAK
agitation arousal wildness

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.

Rather than layering targeted surcharges atop a punitive system, city and state leaders should pursue spending restraint.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 18, 2026

I was able to practice restraint in the song while also still being interesting.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026

Unity Alliance said the decision to pause the fighting "reflects a deliberate commitment to responsibility, restraint, and respect for human dignity, even in the context of ongoing conflict".

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

Palliser Capital says Ajinomoto has the leverage to extract a lot more money from customers but isn’t raising prices meaningfully—a restraint that in its view, is a missed opportunity.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

At first I showed restraint and only wrote her once a week.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline

Vocabulary lists containing restraint

Theodore Roosevelt on "New Nationalism" (1910)

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Excerpts from "Jacobson v. Massachusetts"

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Talk Like Shakespeare Day, List 4

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