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constrict

verb
con·​strict | \ kən-ˈstrikt How to pronounce constrict (audio) \
constricted; constricting; constricts

Definition of constrict

transitive verb

1a : to make narrow or draw together Smoking constricts blood vessels.
b : compress, squeeze constrict a nerve These shoes are too small and they constrict my feet.
2 : to stultify, stop, or cause to falter : inhibit The expectation of violence constricts our lives.— Marge Piercy

intransitive verb

: to become constricted The drug causes the blood vessels to constrict.
Other Words from constrict Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about constrict

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Other Words from constrict

constrictive \ kən-​ˈstrik-​tiv How to pronounce constrictive (audio) \ adjective

Synonyms & Antonyms for constrict

Synonyms

compress, condense, contract, shrink

Antonyms

balloon, expand, snowball, swell

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Choose the Right Synonym for constrict

contract, shrink, condense, compress, constrict, deflate mean to decrease in bulk or volume. contract applies to a drawing together of surfaces or particles or a reduction of area or length. caused her muscles to contract shrink implies a contracting or a loss of material and stresses a falling short of original dimensions. the sweater will shrink when washed condense implies a reducing of something homogeneous to greater compactness without significant loss of content. condense the essay into a paragraph compress implies a pressing into a small compass and definite shape usually against resistance. compressed cotton into bales constrict implies a tightening that reduces diameter. the throat is constricted by a tight collar deflate implies a contracting by reducing the internal pressure of contained air or gas. deflate the balloon

Did You Know?

Arteries constricted by cholesterol slow the flow of blood, just as traffic arteries or highways constricted by accidents slow the flow of traffic. But constriction isn't always physical. Economic growth may be constricted by trade barriers. A narrow, constricted life may be the result of poverty or lack of opportunity. And an actress may feel constricted by a role she played as a child or by her TV character from years ago, which the public refuses to forget.

Examples of constrict in a Sentence

The drug is used to constrict blood vessels. The declining economy has constricted job opportunities. a life constricted by poverty and disease He felt constricted by their notions of what was proper.
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Recent Examples on the Web

 Shortening the snow season The team also looked at how the timing of snow and the length of the season might constrict in the future. — Alejandra Borunda, National Geographic, "'Snow droughts' are coming for the American West," 14 Aug. 2019 Lots of behaviors and environmental factors can trigger blood vessels to constrict, without causing harm. — Sara Harrison, WIRED, "Vaping May Harm Your Blood Flow—Even Without Nicotine," 20 Aug. 2019 This constricts the middle section of the fruit, forcing the seeds to pop out with an audible crack, the team reports today in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface. — Sabine Galvis, Science | AAAS, "Watch this plant fire seeds with bulletlike force," 6 Aug. 2019 Stress hormones constrict blood vessels, raising blood pressure. — NBC News, "What is a healthy blood pressure?," 18 July 2019 Perhaps more concerning: Refinery outages – which may occur due to overwhelming rain – could constrict fuel supplies along the Gulf Coast. — Nathan Bomey, USA TODAY, "Gas prices may rise as Tropical Storm Barry barrels toward U.S. Gulf Coast refineries," 12 July 2019 But Jones coils all these old elements around new anxieties involving race and class — and then constricts until fresh panic sets in. — Ron Charles Critic, Washington Post, "In Sadie Jones’s “The Snakes,” parents are more venomous than reptiles," 2 July 2019 When your body is exposed to extremely cold weather, your blood vessels constrict, diverting blood away from your skin to maintain your core body temperature, Dr. Zeichner explains. — Korin Miller, SELF, "5 Signs of Frostnip (Which Actually Happens Before Frostbite)," 13 Feb. 2019 About 80 percent of fast-food workers are constricted by no-poaching clauses, according to Healey’s office. — Jeff Stein, BostonGlobe.com, "Mass., 10 other states probing fast-food industry policy that stops workers from changing jobs," 9 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'constrict.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of constrict

1732, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

History and Etymology for constrict

Latin constrictus, past participle of constringere — see constrain

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More Definitions for constrict

constrict

verb
How to pronounce constrict (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of constrict

: to make (something) narrower, smaller, or tighter
: to become narrower, smaller, or tighter
: to prevent or keep (something or someone) from developing freely

See the full definition for constrict in the English Language Learners Dictionary

constrict

verb
con·​strict | \ kən-ˈstrikt How to pronounce constrict (audio) \
constricted; constricting

Kids Definition of constrict

: to make narrower, smaller, or tighter by drawing together : squeeze The coldness inside of him had moved upward into his throat constricting it.— Katherine Paterson, Bridge to Terabithia

constrict

transitive verb
con·​strict | \ kən-ˈstrikt

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