Standard Lemma guide

restrained

adj · verb · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ɹɪˈstɹeɪnd/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • UK: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -eɪnd
  • CMU ARPABET: R IY0 S T R EY1 N D Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Held back, limited, kept in check or under control.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • He greeted her for the first time in three years with a restrained embrace.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Proscribed, restricted.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

simple past and past participle of restrain

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: form-of, participle, past

Examples

  • He was restrained by the straight jacket.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adjective

Meaning 4

under restraint

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: unrestrained

5

adjective satellite

Meaning 5

prudent

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • guarded optimism

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: guarded

Antonyms: none provided

6

adjective satellite

Meaning 6

cool and formal in manner

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: reticent, unemotional

Antonyms: none provided

7

adjective satellite

Meaning 7

not showy or obtrusive

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • clothes in quiet good taste

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: quiet

Antonyms: none provided

8

adjective satellite

Meaning 8

marked by avoidance of extravagance or extremes

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • moderate in his demands
  • restrained in his response

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: moderate

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

15 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Armenian: զուսպ (zusp) — held back, limited, kept in check or under control
  • Bulgarian: сдържан (sdǎržan) — held back, limited, kept in check or under control
  • Bulgarian: ограничен (ograničen) — held back, limited, kept in check or under control
  • Dutch: beheerst — held back, limited, kept in check or under control
  • Finnish: hillitty — held back, limited, kept in check or under control
  • German: beherrscht — held back, limited, kept in check or under control
  • German: maßvoll — held back, limited, kept in check or under control
  • Irish: araíonach — held back, limited, kept in check or under control
  • Latin: retentus — held back, limited, kept in check or under control
  • Lithuanian: santūrus — held back, limited, kept in check or under control
  • Polish: powściągliwy — held back, limited, kept in check or under control
  • Polish: umiarkowany — held back, limited, kept in check or under control
  • Polish: wstrzemięźliwy — held back, limited, kept in check or under control
  • Russian: сде́ржанный (sdéržannyj) — held back, limited, kept in check or under control
  • Spanish: reprimido — held back, limited, kept in check or under control
Real reading context

restrained in complete knowledge articles