# restrain

/ɹiˈstɹeɪn/ (US) · /ɹɪstɹˈeɪn/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/restrain
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. to control feelings or behavior

verb · CEFR B2 · Academic

to keep your emotions or actions under control so you do not do something too much.

For teachers: to prevent oneself from displaying a strong emotion or acting on an impulse. Transitive, often used with a reflexive pronoun.

- She had to restrain her anger when the customer was rude to her.
- The diplomat had to restrain his frustration during the negotiations, maintaining a neutral expression despite the provocative remarks from the other side.

### 2. to physically stop someone

verb · CEFR B2

to use physical force to stop someone from moving or doing something.

For teachers: to prevent someone from moving or acting by using physical force or equipment.

- It took three security guards to restrain the man who tried to run onto the field.
- The paramedics were forced to restrain the patient for his own safety while the medication took effect.

### 3. to limit or restrict

verb · CEFR C1 · Academic · Formal

to limit the growth or power of something.

For teachers: to place limits or restrictions on the growth, development, or influence of an entity.

- The government introduced new laws to restrain the rising cost of housing.
- Economists argue that high interest rates are necessary to restrain inflation, even if they temporarily slow down industrial production.

## Examples

- The guards had to restrain the angry man.
- She struggled to restrain her excitement when she heard the news about her promotion.
- The new legislation was designed to restrain the power of large monopolies and ensure that smaller competitors could still enter the market fairly.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.