noun · verb · 6 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
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/ˈstɹeɪtˌd͡ʒækɪt/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:S T R EY1 T JH AE2 K AH0 T
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
A jacketlike garment with very long sleeves which can be secured in place, thus preventing the wearer from moving their arms; often used in psychiatric hospitals to prevent patients from injuring themselves or others.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: straitwaistcoat
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
Any situation seen as confining or restricting.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively
Examples
our ever-increasing bureaucratic straitjacket of regulations
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
verb
Meaning 3
To put someone into a straitjacket.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: literally, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: jacket
Antonyms: none provided
4
verb
Meaning 4
To restrict the freedom of someone or something, either physically or psychologically.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: broadly, figuratively, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
a garment similar to a jacket that is used to bind the arms tightly against the body as a means of restraining a violent person
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: straightjacket
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: garment
6
noun
Meaning 6
anything immaterial that severely hinders or confines
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
they defected because Russian dance was in a straitjacket
the government is operating in an economic straitjacket
Etymology tree English strait Old French jaque Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Italic *-tosder.? Late Latin -ittus Old French -et Middle French jacquetbor. English jacket English straitjacket From strait (“restrictive”) + jacket.
Across languages
Translations
51 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Armenian:
զսպաշապիկ
(zspašapik)
— a jacket-like garment
Bulgarian:
усмирителна риза
(usmiritelna riza)
— a jacket-like garment
Catalan:
camisa de força
— a jacket-like garment
Chinese Mandarin:
緊身衣 /紧身衣
(jǐnshēnyī)
— a jacket-like garment
Chinese Mandarin:
約束服 /约束服
(yuēshùfú)
— a jacket-like garment
Chinese Mandarin:
拘束服
(jūshùfú)
— a jacket-like garment
Chinese Mandarin:
拘束衣
(jūshùyī)
— a jacket-like garment
Chinese Mandarin:
約束衣 /约束衣
(yuēshùyī)
— a jacket-like garment
Czech:
svěrací kazajka
— a jacket-like garment
Danish:
spændetrøje
— a jacket-like garment
Dutch:
dwangbuis
— a jacket-like garment
Esperanto:
trudkitelo
— a jacket-like garment
Estonian:
hullusärk
— a jacket-like garment
Finnish:
pakkopaita
— a jacket-like garment
French:
camisole de force
— a jacket-like garment
German:
Zwangsjacke
— a jacket-like garment
Greek:
ζουρλομανδύας
(zourlomandýas)
— a jacket-like garment
Hungarian:
kényszerzubbony
— a jacket-like garment
Icelandic:
spennitreyja
— a jacket-like garment
Ido:
koakto-kamizolo
— a jacket-like garment
Irish:
seaicéad ceangail
— a jacket-like garment
Italian:
camicia di forza
— a jacket-like garment
Japanese:
拘束衣
(kōsokui)
— a jacket-like garment
Korean:
강압복
(gang'apbok)
— a jacket-like garment
Macedonian:
лудачка кошула
(ludačka košula)
— a jacket-like garment
Norwegian Bokmål:
tvangstrøye
— a jacket-like garment
Norwegian Nynorsk:
tvangstrøye
— a jacket-like garment
Plautdietsch:
Spaunjak
— a jacket-like garment
Polish:
kaftan bezpieczeństwa
— a jacket-like garment
Portuguese:
colete de forças
— a jacket-like garment
Portuguese:
camisa de força
— a jacket-like garment
Romanian:
cămașă de forță
— a jacket-like garment
Russian:
смири́тельная руба́шка
(smirítelʹnaja rubáška)
— a jacket-like garment
Spanish:
camisa de fuerza
— a jacket-like garment
Swedish:
tvångströja
— a jacket-like garment
Turkish:
deli gömleği
— a jacket-like garment
Welsh:
caethwasgod
— a jacket-like garment
Yiddish:
משוגעים־העמדל
(meshugoim-hemdl)
— a jacket-like garment
Dutch:
iemand een dwangbuis aandoen
— to put someone into a straitjacket
Finnish:
pukea pakkopaitaan
— to put someone into a straitjacket
French:
camisole de force
— to put someone into a straitjacket
Ido:
koakto-kamizolizar
— to put someone into a straitjacket
Polish:
zakładać kaftan bezpieczeństwa
— to put someone into a straitjacket
Polish:
założyć kaftan bezpieczeństwa
— to put someone into a straitjacket
Romanian:
cămașă de forță
— to put someone into a straitjacket
Swedish:
sätta tvångströja på
— to put someone into a straitjacket
Dutch:
iemand in zijn vrijheid beperken
— to restrict the freedom of
Finnish:
pukea pakkopaitaan
— to restrict the freedom of
