Meaning & use
straightjacket
Last updated
A restrictive garment with long sleeves that can be tied to restrain the arms of a violent or dangerously disturbed person.
See it in a sentence
The patient was placed in a straightjacket during his most agitated episode.
She felt as though outdated regulations had put her business in a straightjacket.
A note on using this word
The traditional dictionary spelling is 'straitjacket,' from 'strait' meaning narrow or tight, though 'straightjacket' is an extremely common variant. The word is also used figuratively for anything that severely restricts freedom of action.
Words with a similar meaning
restraint
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
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