constrain as a verb: - 1
- 2
- 3
constrain
verb
1 constrain
Compel to behave in a certain way:
— Duty constrains one to act often contrary to one's desires or inclinations.
synonyms: enforce, impose.
Roget 744:
compel,
force,
make,
drive,
coerce,
constrain,
enforce,
necessitate,
oblige.
force upon,
press;
cram down the throat,
thrust down the throat,
force down the throat;
say it must be done,
make a point of,
insist upon,
take no denial;
put down,
dragoon.
extort,
wring from;
squeeze,
put on the squeeze;
put on the screws,
turn on the screw;
drag into;
bind,
bind over;
pin down,
tie down;
require,
tax,
put in force;
commandeer;
restrain
etc.
751.
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2 constrain
To close within bounds, or otherwise limit or deprive of free movement.
synonyms: confine, hold, restrain.
Roget 751:
restrain,
check;
put under restraint,
lay under restraint;
enthral,
enthrall,
inthral†,
inthrall†,
bethral†,
bethrall†;
restrict;
debar
etc.
(hinder)
706;
constrain;
coerce
etc.
(compel)
744;
curb,
control;
hold back,
hold from,
hold in,
hold in check,
hold within bounds,
keep back,
keep from,
keep in,
keep in check,
keep within bounds;
hold in leash,
hold in leading strings;
withhold.
keep under;
repress,
suppress;
smother;
pull in,
rein in;
hold,
hold fast;
keep a tight hand on;
prohibit
etc.
761;
inhibit,
cohibit†.
enchain;
fasten
etc.
(join)
43;
fetter,
shackle;
entrammel†;
bridle,
muzzle,
hopple†,
gag,
pinion,
manacle,
handcuff,
tie one's hands,
hobble,
bind hand and foot;
swathe,
swaddle;
pin down,
tether;
picket;
tie down,
tie up;
secure;
forge fetters;
disable,
hamstring
(incapacitate)
158.
confine;
shut up,
shut in;
clap up,
lock up,
box up,
mew up,
bottle up,
cork up,
seal up,
button up;
hem in,
bolt in,
wall in,
rail in;
impound,
pen,
coop;
inclose
etc.
(circumscribe)
229;
cage;
incage†,
encage†;
close the door upon,
cloister;
imprison,
immure;
incarcerate,
entomb;
clap under hatches,
lay under hatches;
put in irons,
put in a strait-waistcoat;
throw into prison,
cast into prison;
put into bilboes.
arrest;
take up,
take charge of,
take into custody;
take prisoner,
take captive,
make prisoner,
make captive;
captivate;
lead captive,
lead into captivity;
send to prison,
commit to prison;
commit;
give in charge,
give in custody;
subjugate
etc.
749.
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3 constrain
Moby thesaurus: abate, abridge, abstain, aggrieve, allay, alleviate, arrest, assuage, attemper, ban, bank the fire, bar, bastille, bear, bind, bit, blunt, bottle up, box up, bridle, cage, cause, cause to, chasten, check, cloister, coerce, compel, concuss, confine, contain, control, cool, cool off, coop, coop in, coop up, cork up, crib, crowd, crush, curb, curtail, damp, dampen, de-emphasize, deaden, decelerate, deprive, detain, dictate, diminish, disallow, dompt, downplay, drive, dull, encage, enclose, enforce, enjoin, extenuate, fence in, force, govern, grieve, guard, have, hem in, hinder, hold, hold at bay, hold back, hold down, hold fast, hold in, hold in check, hold in custody, hold in leash, hold in restraint, hold up, hurt, immure, impel, impound, incarcerate, inhibit, injure, insist upon, intern, jail, jam, jug, keep, keep back, keep from, keep in, keep in check, keep in custody, keep in detention, keep under control, keep within bounds, lay, lay under restraint, lenify, lessen, lighten, make, mew, mew up, mitigate, moderate, modulate, necessitate, oblige, obtund, pain, palliate, pen, pen up, play down, pound, prison, prohibit, pull, pull in, push, quod, rail in, reduce, reduce the temperature, refrain, rein, rein in, restrain, restrict, retard, retrench, seal up, set back, shackle, shotgun, shut in, shut up, slacken, slow down, smother, snub, sober, sober down, soften, squab, squash, squeeze, squish, stifle, straiten, subdue, suppress, tame, temper, tie, tone down, tune down, underplay, use force upon, wall in, weaken, withhold ... show more.
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