Confining: meaning, definitions and examples

Suitable when describing something that causes a person to feel trapped or held in a small space, often in a physical or psychological sense.

• The confining walls of the small room made him feel claustrophobic
• The confining nature of her job left her little time for hobbies

Best used to describe something that imposes limits or controls in a way that might feel overly strict or limiting to personal freedom or flexibility.

• The restrictive dress code at the office made it difficult to express individual style
• The company's restrictive policies frustrated the employees

Best used when expressing restrictions that prevent the expansion, growth, or potential of someone or something, typically relating to opportunities or abilities.

• His lack of education was limiting his career opportunities
• The rules of the contest were quite limiting, but she found a way to win anyway

Appropriate for situations where there are rules, laws, or other controls placed on actions or behaviors, often with the aim of controlling or reducing freedom.

• The new policy is restricting the number of visitors allowed in the museum
• The diet plan was restricting her food choices considerably

Appears to be a duplicate entry with the same meaning as the previous one.

• It is not necessary to provide additional context or examples since it repeats the first entry

Commonly used when talking about rules or regulations that reduce options or impose boundaries.

• The new law will restrict the sale of alcohol to minors
• Her diet restricts her from eating gluten and dairy

Used when discussing boundaries or maximum capacities, either literal or figurative.

• The speed limit on this highway is 60 miles per hour
• There is a limit to how much work one person can do in a day

Often used when talking about holding someone or something back, typically implying an active effort to do so.

• The police had to restrain the protesters to prevent a riot
• He had to restrain himself from eating too much chocolate