restrained; restraining; restrains
1
a
: to prevent from doing, exhibiting, or expressing something
restrained the child from jumping
b
: to limit, restrict, or keep under control
try to restrain your anger
2
: to moderate or limit the force, effect, development, or full exercise of
restrain trade
3
: to deprive of liberty
especially
: to place under arrest or restraint
restrainer
noun
Examples of restrain in a Sentence
He could not restrain the dog from attacking.
He could restrain himself no longer.
Hospital orderlies needed to restrain the patient.
He was restrained and placed in a holding cell.
He could barely restrain his anger.
The manufacturer took measures to restrain costs.
Recent Examples on the Web
The landscaping is restrained, all clean lines and neat minimalism.
—
arkansasonline.com, 9 Mar. 2025
The ayatollah has repeatedly said Iran cannot trust that the United States would honor any bargain, especially after Mr. Trump pulled out of the last agreement to restrain Iran’s program.
—David E. Sanger, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2025
In sports, the leagues want to restrain the player labor markets in a variety of ways, including through maximum salaries, salary caps, free agency restrictions, player drafts, and more.
—Chris Deubert, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025
How the firing squad execution method worked Sigmon was seated and restrained in a metal chair, a hood over his head, in the corner of a room shared by the state's electric chair, according to the execution witnesses.
—Amanda Lee Myers, USA TODAY, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for restrain
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arkansasonline.com, 9 Mar. 2025
The ayatollah has repeatedly said Iran cannot trust that the United States would honor any bargain, especially after Mr. Trump pulled out of the last agreement to restrain Iran’s program.
—David E. Sanger, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2025
In sports, the leagues want to restrain the player labor markets in a variety of ways, including through maximum salaries, salary caps, free agency restrictions, player drafts, and more.
—Chris Deubert, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025
How the firing squad execution method worked Sigmon was seated and restrained in a metal chair, a hood over his head, in the corner of a room shared by the state's electric chair, according to the execution witnesses.
—Amanda Lee Myers, USA TODAY, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for restrain
Cite this Entry
“Restrain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/restrain. Accessed 17 Mar. 2025.
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Legal Definition
restrain
transitive verb
re·strain
ri-ˈstrān 
1
a
: to prevent from doing something see also restraining order at order sense 3b
b
: to limit, restrict, or keep under control
2
: to moderate or limit the force, effect, development, or full exercise of
3
: to deprive of liberty and especially of physical movement
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