noun · academic

constraint

/kənˈstreɪnt/con·STRAINT

Band 5-6task2speaking

something that limits what you can do; a restriction

Examples

Budgetary constraints meant the programme had to be cut.

Time constraints prevented him from finishing the survey.

Environmental constraints need to be considered in urban planning.

Band 8 sentence

Although innovative projects offer potential benefits, practical constraints such as funding and staffing often slow implementation.

Collocations

  • budgetary constraint
  • constraints on
  • face constraints

Word family

constrain verbconstraint nounconstrained adjective

Common mistakes

constraint toconstraint on / constraints on

Say it for a higher band

5limit6restriction7+constraint

Synonyms

limitation

Easily confused

restriction

There are restrictions on travel to certain countries.

Related words

Learn this word with the rest of its set, and get reminded at the right time.

In Sublist 8

Learn it with its set