Meaning & use
restrain
Last updated
To hold back, control, or keep someone or something from acting freely.
See it in a sentence
Security guards had to restrain the angry fan before he reached the stage.
She struggled to restrain her laughter during the solemn ceremony.
A note on using this word
Often used with a reflexive object ("restrain yourself") or paired with "from" plus a gerund, as in "restrain herself from shouting."
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
releaseunleash
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