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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 |
adverb + (v.)restrain
barely, deliberately, effectively, forcibly, gently, hardly, improperly, physically, properly, safely, similarly, unreasonably, visibly
(v.)restrain
+ adverb
any, somewhat
(v.)restrain
+ noun
aggression,
aggressor,
ally,
belt,
competition,
conduct,
conscience,
consumption,
curiosity,
demand,
density,
desire,
emotion,
enthusiasm,
evil,
excess,
expansion,
export,
growth,
impatience,
impulse,
inclination,
inflation,
influence,
laughter,
order,
passion,
policeman,
restraint,
seat,
smile,
spending,
strap,
teammate,
tendency,
tongue,
urge,
violence,
wage
[See all][See only the most frequent]
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| derivations: |
restrainable (adj.), restrained (adj.), restrainedly (adv.), restrainingly (adv.) |
The word restrain
contains the following part:
strict, string, strain
Latin
root
that means bind, tighten
  Example words:
astringent, constrain, constrict, restrain, restraint, restrict, restriction, restrictive, strict, stricture, stringent
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