constrain

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

US /kənˈstreɪn/ UK /kənˈstreɪn/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

verb
to compel or restrict within limits

A tight budget will constrain the project's scope.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to compel or restrict... compel restrict limit confine restrain force coerce

Opposites

free release liberate loosen unleash

Word family

Forms constrainingconstrains

Derived forms constraint constrainedconstrainableconstrainer

Related forms restrain strain strict constrictconstringe

Etymology

From Old French constreindre, from Latin constringere ('to bind together, restrain'), from con- ('together') + stringere ('to draw tight, bind').

constringere Latin stringere Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# constrain

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /kənˈstreɪn/
**IPA (UK):** /kənˈstreɪn/

## Meanings
1. to compel or restrict within limits

## Examples
- A tight budget will constrain the project's scope.

## Synonyms
- compel
- restrict
- limit
- confine
- restrain
- force
- coerce

## Antonyms
- free
- release
- liberate
- loosen
- unleash

## Derived Forms
- constraint
- constrained
- constrainable
- constrainer

## Related Forms
- restrain
- strain
- strict
- constrict
- constringe

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: constringere
- Root: stringere

## Etymology
From Old French constreindre, from Latin constringere ('to bind together, restrain'), from con- ('together') + stringere ('to draw tight, bind').

## AI Etymology
Constrain is from Old French constreindre, from Latin constringere ('to bind together, restrain'), from con- ('together') + stringere ('to draw tight, bind'). Important recorded forms include constringere (Latin) and stringere (Latin). Morphologically, the word is a built form whose named elements carry part of the historical sense. The current sense covers to compel or restrict within limits. The wider family includes derived forms such as constraint, constrained, constrainable, and constrainer and related words such as restrain, strain, strict, and constrict.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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