constraint

Academic Word List, sublist 3.

About 8.88 uses per million words.

Meaning

1. noun Something that constrains; a restriction.

   An engineer must recognize the difference between a constraint (to work within) and a problem (to be eliminated via resolution).

2. noun An irresistible force or compulsion.

   They confessed, but only under severe constraint.

3. noun The repression of one's feelings.
4. noun A condition that a solution to an optimization problem must satisfy.
5. noun A linkage or other restriction that maintains database integrity.

Similar words

restraint restrict restriction restricting constraining restrictiveness constrained restraining restrictive restricted

Often followed by

on is of in and that to for satisfaction

Word family

constrain constrained constraining constrains constraints