constrain

con·strain
C3O1N1S1T1R1A1I1N1
/kənˈstɹeɪn/

verb

To force physically, by strong persuasion or pressuring; to compel; to oblige.

Similar
enforceimposerestrainconfineholdstiffentightentighten up
OriginMiddle English constreinen ← Old French constreindre ← Latin cōnstringō →
Less commonScrabble 11
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Meanings

verbconstrain (third-person singular simple present constrains, present participle constraining, simple past and past participle constrained)

present singular third person constrains · participle present constraining · participle past constrained · past constrained

  1. transitiveTo force physically, by strong persuasion or pressuring; to compel; to oblige.
  2. transitiveTo keep within close bounds; to confine.

    But it's not just Castlefield Corridor capacity that constrains services. All the junctions on the lines feeding into the corridor are flat, so they create conflict points as trains pass.

    2020 January 2, Philip Haigh, “Is there relief to congestion along Castlefield Corridor?”, in Rail, page 23
  3. transitiveTo reduce a result in response to limited resources.

Synonyms & antonyms

verbcompel to behave in a certain way

Similar
enforceimpose
Broader
compelobligeobligate

verbto close within bounds, or otherwise limit or deprive of free movement

Similar
restrainconfinehold
Broader
disabledisenableincapacitate

verbseverely restrict in scope or extent

Similar
stiffentightentighten up
Broader
restricttrammellimit
Also see
confinedelimitenforceholdimposerestrainstiffentightentighten up

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*ḱe?
  2. Proto-Indo-European*ḱóm
  3. Proto-Italic*kom
  4. Proto-Italic*kom-
  5. Latincōn-
  6. Proto-Indo-European*streyg-
  7. Proto-Indo-European*strinégti
  8. Proto-Italic*stringō
  9. Proto-Indo-European*strengʰ-
  10. Proto-Indo-European*stréngʰeti
  11. Proto-Italic*strengō
  12. Latinstringō
  13. Latincōnstringō
  14. Old Frenchconstreindre
  15. Middle Englishconstreinen
  16. Englishconstrain

From Middle English constreinen, from Old French constreindre, from Latin cōnstringō, from cōn- (“with, together”) + stringō (“to draw, bind or tie tight”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *streyg- (“to stroke, to shear, stiff”).

More words from Middle English, Old French, Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek πεδάω
  • πεδάω (pedáō)to keep within close bounds; to confine
Bulgarian принуждавам, насилвам
  • принуждавам (prinuždavam)to force; to compel; to oblige
  • насилвам (nasilvam)to force; to compel; to oblige
  • ограничавам (ograničavam)to keep within close bounds; to confine
Catalan constrènyer
  • constrènyerto force; to compel; to oblige
Danish begrænse
  • begrænseto force; to compel; to oblige
Dutch dwingen, beperken
  • dwingento force; to compel; to oblige
  • beperkento keep within close bounds; to confine
Finnish pakottaa, rajata
  • pakottaato force; to compel; to oblige
  • rajatato keep within close bounds; to confine
  • rajoittaato keep within close bounds; to confine
  • eristääto keep within close bounds; to confine
  • sulkeato keep within close bounds; to confine
  • rajoittaato reduce a result in response to limited resources
French astreindre, contraindre
  • astreindreto force; to compel; to oblige
  • contraindreto force; to compel; to oblige
  • confinerto force; to compel; to oblige
German behindern, einschränken
  • behindernto force; to compel; to oblige
  • einschränkento force; to compel; to oblige
  • limitierento force; to compel; to oblige
Hungarian kényszerít, korlátoz
  • kényszerítto force; to compel; to oblige
  • korlátozto reduce a result in response to limited resources
Italian costringere, limitare
  • costringereto force; to compel; to oblige
  • limitareto keep within close bounds; to confine
Korean 제한, 구속
  • 제한 (jehan)to force; to compel; to oblige
  • 구속 (gusok)to force; to compel; to oblige
  • 금지 (geumji)to force; to compel; to oblige
Māori whakatina
  • whakatinato keep within close bounds; to confine
Norwegian begrense
  • begrenseto force; to compel; to oblige
Portuguese constranger, apertar
  • constrangerto force; to compel; to oblige
  • apertarto force; to compel; to oblige
  • restringirto force; to compel; to oblige
  • confinarto keep within close bounds; to confine
  • restringirto keep within close bounds; to confine
Russian принужда́ть, ограни́чивать
  • принужда́ть (prinuždátʹ)to force; to compel; to oblige
  • ограни́чивать (ograníčivatʹ)to keep within close bounds; to confine
Spanish constreñir
  • constreñirto force; to compel; to oblige
Swedish begränsa
  • begränsato force; to compel; to oblige
Turkish zorlamak
  • zorlamakto force; to compel; to oblige

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with constrain

mainagaindomainSpainpaincampaignchainmaintaingaintrainobtainremaincontainrainmaineexplainlaneplainjaneplaneWayneUkrainegrainstrain
All rhymes →

Anagrams

transonicintroscannonracist
Cite this entry
APA

constrain. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/constrain

MLA

“constrain.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/constrain. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “constrain,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/constrain.

Source: constrain on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.