constraint

/kənˈstɹeɪnt/

//kənˈstɹeɪnt// noun

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

"constraint" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“constraint” has 16 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #20,072. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#20,072
frequency rank, English
5,599
“C” headwords
16
tracked misspellings
4
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Something that constrains; a restriction.

Corpus desk

Index EN-constraint · constraint · English

constraint · rank #20,072 · 16 variants · 4 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #20,072
  • LEN-MEGA 10 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 4 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 16 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 5,599
  • PHOTO-FINISH conduit

Nearest frequency peer: conduit (-2 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 “constraint”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “constraint” 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).

constraint vs constraints
91% similar
constraint vs constant
80% similar
constraint vs constrain
90% similar

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

Key facts for constraint
PropertyValue
Headwordconstraint
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/kənˈstɹeɪnt/
Letters10
Frequency rank#20,072
Misspellings tracked16
Confusable pairs4
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “constraint”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).constraintlands here:

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

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “conduit” (#20,070), “conveyor” (#20,074), “CPI” (#20,075). Among 5,599 “C” headwords, “constraint” is #20,072. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 16 spelling variants around constraint (IPA /kənˈstɹeɪnt/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #20,072 among 5,599 “C” headwords. Wiktionary lists 5 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 16 likely wrong-spelling variants for constraint, with forms such as "cconstraint", "cnostraint", and "connstraint". 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, "constraints", "constant", "constrain", 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 constreynt, constreynte, from Old French constreinte, past participle of constreindre (“to constrain”), from Latin cōnstringō (corresponding to the past participle cōnstrictus). The correct English form is constraint, spelled C-O-N-S-T-R-A-I-N-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    Something that constrains; a restriction.
  2. 2
    An irresistible force or compulsion.
  3. 3
    The repression of one's feelings.
  4. 4
    A condition that a solution to an optimization problem must satisfy.
  5. 5
    A linkage or other restriction that maintains database integrity.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. An engineer must recognize the difference between a constraint (to work within) and a problem (to be eliminated via resolution).
  2. Today’s electricity demand (65 EJ/a) is well covered by the range, but constraints may occur in the long run locally. Amongst large countries, Nigeria and India may need imports to meet electricity demand.

Etymology

From Middle English constreynt, constreynte, from Old French constreinte, past participle of constreindre (“to constrain”), from Latin cōnstringō (corresponding to the past participle cōnstrictus).

This word in other languages

constreñimiento(Español)contrainte(Français)Einschränkung(Deutsch)coação(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • cconstraint
  • cnostraint
  • connstraint
  • consrtaint
  • consstraint
  • constarint
  • constrainnt
  • constraintt
  • constraitn
  • constranit
  • constriant
  • constrraint
  • consttraint
  • contsraint
  • cosntraint
  • ocnstraint

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of constraint - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

cconstraint1cnostraint2connstraint1consrtaint2consstraint1constarint2constrainnt1constraintt1
Edit distance from "constraint"

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 "constraint"?
"constraint" is spelled C-O-N-S-T-R-A-I-N-T. The IPA pronunciation is /kənˈstɹeɪnt/.
What does "constraint" mean?
As a noun, "constraint" means: Something that constrains; a restriction.
What words are commonly confused with "constraint"?
"constraint" is commonly confused with "constraints", "constant", "constrain". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "constraint"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "constraint" is /kənˈstɹeɪnt/. 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 "constraint"?
From Middle English constreynt, constreynte, from Old French constreinte, past participle of constreindre (“to constrain”), from Latin cōnstringō (corresponding to the past participle cōnstrictus). 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 "constraint", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 10 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Greenville#20,127unsettling#20,006stationery#19,979minimalist#20,169

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (16 here; floor ≥5).

retrospect16 variantssymmetrical16 variantstopography16 variantsunexplained16 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list