Constrain vs. Constraint: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 25, 2023
"Constrain" is a verb meaning to compel or force someone to follow a particular course of action, while "Constraint" is a noun referring to a limitation or restriction.
Key Differences
Constrain is a verb that describes an action. It means to force or compel something or someone to follow a specific path or action. Constraint, on the other hand, is a noun. It refers to the condition of being restricted or limited, often by external factors or circumstances. Both words deal with limitations, but one is an action and the other is a condition or state.
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Nov 23, 2023
When you constrain something, you are actively applying pressure or enforcing a restriction. For example, a government might constrain free speech through censorship. Constraint, in contrast, is the result of being constrained. It's the state of having limitations imposed. For example, budgetary constraints might limit what a school can spend on resources.
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Nov 23, 2023
Constrain often implies a dynamic process. It's about the act of limiting, restricting, or directing. This can be physical, like constraining movement, or more abstract, like constraining choices. Constraint is more about the static state that results from this process. It's the boundary or limitation itself, such as a time constraint in a project.
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Nov 23, 2023
The usage context of constrain and constraint also differs. You might use constrain when discussing the act of restricting something. For example, "The company's policies constrain employee creativity." Constraint is used to describe the factor that causes the limitation. For example, "Time is a major constraint in completing the project."
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Nov 23, 2023
Finally, constrain and constraint can both relate to personal and impersonal subjects. You can constrain (verb) a person or a process, and a person or a process can be under a constraint (noun). However, the form of the word you choose changes the focus from the action to the condition or vice versa.
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Nov 23, 2023
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Comparison Chart
Usage in Sentence
"The rules constrain our options."
"We have several constraints to consider."
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Focus
On the act of restricting or limiting
On the limitation or restriction itself
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Constrain and Constraint Definitions
Constrain
To hold back or regulate.
He had to constrain his anger during the meeting.
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Constraint
A factor that restrains or prevents freedom of action.
Cultural constraints affect their lifestyle choices.
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Constrain
To limit someone’s freedom of action or movement.
The contract constrains the artist’s creative freedom.
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Constraint
Something that limits or controls what you can do.
Time constraints made it difficult to finish the task.
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Constrain
To keep within bounds.
The animal was constrained in a small cage.
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Constraint
A restriction on the extent of something.
Budgetary constraints limited the project’s scope.
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Constrain
To force someone to do something.
The circumstances constrained him to act immediately.
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Constraint
The threat or use of force to prevent, restrict, or dictate the action or thought of others.
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Oct 19, 2023
Constrain
To keep within certain limits; confine or limit
"Legislators ... used the power of the purse to constrain the size of the military" (Julian E. Zelizer).
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Oct 19, 2023
Constraint
The state of being restricted or confined within prescribed bounds
Soon tired of the constraint of military life.
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Constrain
To inhibit or restrain; hold back
"She noticed her mother blushing and acting somewhat constrained in her conversation with the grandmother" (David Huddle).
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Oct 19, 2023
Constraint
One that restricts, limits, or regulates; a check
Ignored all moral constraints in his pursuit of success.
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Oct 19, 2023
Constrain
To compel by physical, moral, or circumstantial force; oblige
Felt constrained to object to his behavior.
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Oct 19, 2023
Constraint
Embarrassed reserve or reticence; awkwardness
"All constraint had vanished between the two, and they began to talk" (Edith Wharton).
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Constrain
To produce in a forced or inhibited manner
"This smile seemed to touch something off in her ... and playfully she constrained her own roguish smile" (Naeem Murr).
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Oct 19, 2023
Constrain
(transitive) To force physically, by strong persuasion or pressuring; to compel; to oblige.
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Constrain
(transitive) To reduce a result in response to limited resources.
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Constraint
(mathematics) A condition that a solution to an optimization problem must satisfy.
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Oct 19, 2023
Constrain
To secure by bonds; to chain; to bond or confine; to hold tightly; to constringe.
He binds in chainsThe drowsy prophet, and his limbs constrains.
When winter frosts constrain the fields with cold.
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Constraint
(databases) A linkage or other restriction that maintains database integrity.
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Constrain
To bring into a narrow compass; to compress.
How the strait stays the slender waist constrain.
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Constraint
The act of constraining, or the state of being constrained; that which compels to, or restrains from, action; compulsion; restraint; necessity.
Long imprisonment and hard constraint.
Not by constraint, but by my choice, I came.
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Oct 19, 2023
Constrain
To hold back by force; to restrain; to repress.
My sire in caves constrains the winds.
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Constraint
The state of being physically constrained;
Dogs should be kept under restraint
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Constrain
To compel; to force; to necessitate; to oblige.
The love of Christ constraineth us.
I was constrained to appeal unto Cæsar.
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Oct 19, 2023
Constraint
A device that retards something's motion;
The car did not have proper restraints fitted
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Constraint
The act of constraining; the threat or use of force to control the thoughts or behavior of others
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Constrain
To produce in such a manner as to give an unnatural effect; as, a constrained voice.
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Constraint
A boundary that confines or restricts.
Legal constraints prevent certain actions.
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Nov 23, 2023
Constraint
A measure or condition that keeps something under control.
Social constraints dictate appropriate behavior.
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Constrain
To prevent or hold back from doing something.
Her shyness constrains her from speaking in public.
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Repeatedly Asked Queries
Can "constrain" be used in a positive context?
Yes, it can be used positively, like constraining harmful behaviors.
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Nov 23, 2023
Can "constrain" be used metaphorically?
Yes, it can be used metaphorically to describe non-physical limitations.
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Nov 23, 2023
Can "constraint" refer to physical limitations?
Yes, it can refer to both physical and non-physical limitations.
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Nov 23, 2023
Is "constraint" commonly used in business contexts?
Yes, especially when discussing limitations in resources or time.
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Nov 23, 2023
What is an example of "constrain" in a sentence?
"The rules of the game constrain how players can act."
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What is a synonym for "constrain"?
A synonym for "constrain" is "restrict."
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Nov 23, 2023
Are "constrain" and "constraint" interchangeable?
No, they are not interchangeable as they are different parts of speech.
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Nov 23, 2023
Can "constraint" be positive?
Yes, constraints can sometimes lead to creative solutions.
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Nov 23, 2023
Is "constrain" often used in legal contexts?
Yes, it's frequently used in legal contexts to describe restrictions.
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Nov 23, 2023
Can "constraint" be used in a scientific context?
Yes, it's often used to describe limitations in experiments or theories.
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Nov 23, 2023
Can "constrain" imply emotional restrictions?
Yes, it can imply emotional as well as physical restrictions.
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Nov 23, 2023
How can "constraint" be used in a sentence?
"Financial constraints are affecting the company’s growth."
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Nov 23, 2023
Is "constrain" commonly used in everyday language?
It's more formal and less common in casual conversation.
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Nov 23, 2023
Can "constraint" have multiple meanings?
Yes, it can have varied meanings depending on the context.
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Nov 23, 2023
What is a synonym for "constraint"?
A synonym for "constraint" is "limitation."
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Nov 23, 2023
Can "constraint" apply to personal freedom?
Yes, it can apply to personal, social, or professional freedom.
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Nov 23, 2023
Is "constraint" a technical term?
It can be, especially in fields like engineering or mathematics.
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Nov 23, 2023
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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