constrain

/kənˈstɹeɪn/

//kənˈstɹeɪn// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"constrain" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“constrain” has 14 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #36,089. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#36,089
frequency rank, English
5,599
“C” headwords
14
tracked misspellings
4
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To force physically, by strong persuasion or pressuring; to compel; to oblige.

Corpus desk

Index EN-constrain · constrain · English

constrain · rank #36,089 · 14 variants · 4 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #36,089
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 4 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 14 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 5,599
  • PHOTO-FINISH conservatively

Nearest frequency peer: conservatively (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “constrain”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “constrain” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

constrain vs contain
78% similar
constrain vs constraint
90% similar
constrain vs constraints
82% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for constrain
PropertyValue
Headwordconstrain
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/kənˈstɹeɪn/
Letters9
Frequency rank#36,089
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs4
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “constrain”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).constrainlands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “conservatively” (#36,088), “contraption” (#36,090), “confounded” (#36,087). Among 5,599 “C” headwords, “constrain” is #36,089. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 14 spelling variants around constrain (IPA /kənˈstɹeɪn/), averb. Corpus frequency is #36,089 among 5,599 “C” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for constrain, with forms such as "cconstrain", "cnostrain", and "connstrain". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 4 confusable-pair relationships, "contain", "constraint", "constraints", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English constreinen, from Old French constreindre, from Latin cōnstringō, from cōn- (“with, together”) + stringō (“to draw, bind or tie tight”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *streyg- (“to stroke, to shear, stiff”). The correct English form is constrain, spelled C-O-N-S-T-R-A-I-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    To force physically, by strong persuasion or pressuring; to compel; to oblige.
  2. 2
    To keep within close bounds; to confine.
  3. 3
    To reduce a result in response to limited resources.

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

These source excerpts show how constrain appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. But it's not just Castlefield Corridor capacity that constrains services. All the junctions on the lines feeding into the corridor are flat, so they create conflict points as trains pass.

Etymology

From Middle English constreinen, from Old French constreindre, from Latin cōnstringō, from cōn- (“with, together”) + stringō (“to draw, bind or tie tight”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *streyg- (“to stroke, to shear, stiff”).

This word in other languages

constreñir(Español)astreindre(Français)behindern(Deutsch)constranger(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • cconstrain
  • cnostrain
  • connstrain
  • consrtain
  • consstrain
  • constarin
  • constrainn
  • constrani
  • constrian
  • constrrain
  • consttrain
  • contsrain
  • cosntrain
  • ocnstrain

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of constrain - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

cconstrain1cnostrain2connstrain1consrtain2consstrain1constarin2constrainn1constrani2
Edit distance from "constrain"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "constrain"?
"constrain" is spelled C-O-N-S-T-R-A-I-N. The IPA pronunciation is /kənˈstɹeɪn/.
What does "constrain" mean?
As a verb, "constrain" means: To force physically, by strong persuasion or pressuring; to compel; to oblige.
What words are commonly confused with "constrain"?
"constrain" is commonly confused with "contain", "constraint", "constraints". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "constrain"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "constrain" is /kənˈstɹeɪn/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "constrain"?
From Middle English constreinen, from Old French constreindre, from Latin cōnstringō, from cōn- (“with, together”) + stringō (“to draw, bind or tie tight”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *streyg- (“to stroke, to shear, stiff”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "constrain", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

concubine#36,085cognizant#36,079chlamydia#36,073Dougherty#36,113

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (14 here; floor ≥5).

driverless14 variantsbutcher's14 variantsbrimstone14 variantseminently14 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list