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- pronunciation:
- rih
streIn
- features:
- Word Combinations (verb), Word Parts
| part of speech: |
transitive verb |
| inflections: |
restrains, restraining, restrained |
| definition 1: |
to hold back or keep in check.
When the dog saw the squirrel, I couldn't restrain him.You need to restrain your anger when you talk to the neighbors.If there are snacks available, it's hard to restrain myself from eating them.- synonyms:
- control, govern, hold, moderate
- antonyms:
- impel, incite, release, spur
- similar words:
- bind, bridle, chasten, check, chill, circumscribe, confine, constrain, contain, curb, damp, dampen, dominate, inhibit, leash, limit, regulate, rein, repress, restrict, smother, stay, stifle, stop, subdue, suppress, swallow, temper, withhold
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| definition 2: |
to take away the freedom or liberty of.
The police restrained the criminal with handcuffs.
- synonyms:
- bind, bridle, curb
- antonyms:
- free, release
- similar words:
- chain, check, fetter, harness, hold, leash, muzzle, rein in, shackle
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| definition 3: |
to limit or obstruct the activity, growth, or progress of.
He thought the very traditional art school was restraining his creativity.The drug appears to restrain the growth of cancerous cells.- synonyms:
- circumscribe, confine, contain, control, limit, restrict
- antonyms:
- encourage, foster
- similar words:
- bound, chill, condition, constrict, curb, define, delimit, demarcate, encumber, hem in, immure, inhibit, pinch, qualify, slow, stop, stunt
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| related words: |
arrest, baffle, brake, cage, choke, combat, detain, determine, discourage, embargo, fascinate, fasten, forbid, guard, halt, handicap, hinder, manacle, master, mince, moderate, obstruct, preclude, prevent, rein, retard, spare, stay, stem, still, suppress, tame, tether, throttle, tie |
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| derivations: |
restrainable (adj.), restrained (adj.), restrainedly (adv.), restrainingly (adv.) |
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