- to compel or force, esp by persuasion, circumstances, etc; oblige
- to restrain by or as if by force; confine
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
con•strain /kənˈstreɪn/USA pronunciation
v. [~ + object]
con•strain•er, n. [countable]
con•strain•ing•ly, adv. See -strain-.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- to make (someone) do something;
compel: He was constrained to admit the offense. - to hold back;
repress or restrain:He constrained his impulse to tell her the secret.
con•strain•er, n. [countable]
con•strain•ing•ly, adv. See -strain-.
con•strain
(kən strān′),USA pronunciation v.t.
con•strain′a•ble, adj.
con•strain′er, n.
con•strain′ing•ly, adv.
- to force, compel, or oblige:He was constrained to admit the offense.
- to confine forcibly, as by bonds.
- to repress or restrain:Cold weather constrained the plant's growth.
- Latin constringere. See con-, strain1
- Anglo-French, Middle French constrei(g)n- (stem of constreindre)
- Middle English constrei(g)nen 1275–1325
con•strain′er, n.
con•strain′ing•ly, adv.
- 1. coerce. 2. check, bind.
- 2. free.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
constrain /kənˈstreɪn/ vb (transitive)
'constrain' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
constraint
- constrict
- impel
- keep at
- manacle
- obligate
- oblige
- press
- pressure
- astrict
- bridle
- compel
- constrained
- control
- distrain
- drive
- force
- necessitate
- nonconstraining
- pair
- re-strain
- tie
- unconstrainable
- unconstraining
- urge
- strain