fail to restrain

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "fail to restrain" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing a lack of control or inability to hold back emotions, actions, or impulses. Example: "He failed to restrain his anger during the meeting, which led to an uncomfortable situation."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

The real problem with the laws of war, however, is not what they fail to restrain but what they authorize.

Huffington Post

"These efforts will be imperilled if states interested in fighting AQAP and Yemen's nascent Islamic State (IS) branch, such as the U.S., take military actions that ignore the local context and result in high civilian casualties, like the Trump administration's 29 January 2017 raid on AQAP affiliates in al-Bayda, or fail to restrain partners who tolerate or even encourage AQAP/IS activities".

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

But they failed to restrain themselves, and the backlash has begun.

The Economist

But if market competition failed to restrain costs, the federal government would increase the support given.

The New York Times

Tried but failed to restrain himself from discussing the dissolution of his marriage.

The New Yorker

Although Tiberius's general, Maurice, led an effective campaign on the eastern frontier, subsidies failed to restrain the Avars.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Subsidies again failed to restrain the barbarians north of the Danube; after 602 the frontier crumbled, not to be restored save at the cost of centuries of warfare.

Encyclopedia Britannica

They had to move in the end because all constitutional means had failed to restrain a government that was behaving unconstitutionally.

The Economist

The problem with the pledge is that it is powerless to prevent future automatic tax increases and has failed to restrain past spending.

The New York Times

Colin Melvin, the head of the fund advisory arm, Hermes Equity Ownership Services, has voiced concerns that shareholders failed to restrain the debt fuelled borrowing binge that eventually caused the crash.

The Guardian - Business

Justice Stephen Breyer said the court had failed to restrain itself and argued that it would have been wiser not to do what it did tonight.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "fail to restrain", ensure that the subject clearly indicates who or what is unable to control something. This provides clarity and strengthens the sentence's meaning.

Common error

Avoid using "fail to restrain" when describing situations where there was no active attempt to control something. The phrase implies an effort to restrain that ultimately failed, not a complete lack of intervention.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "fail to restrain" primarily functions as a verb phrase indicating an inability or lack of success in controlling or limiting something. This is supported by Ludwig AI, which indicates grammatical correctness and provides examples where the phrase is used to describe situations involving a lack of control.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Encyclopedias

25%

Science

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Wiki

10%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "fail to restrain" is a grammatically sound phrase used to describe a lack of control or inability to limit something. While not exceedingly common, as noted by Ludwig, it finds its place in news, encyclopedic, and scientific contexts, lending it a neutral to slightly formal tone. When using this phrase, ensure that the context clearly indicates an attempt at restraint was made, and that the subject is evident. Alternatives like "unable to control" or "cannot hold back" offer similar meanings with slightly different nuances. Ludwig's analysis confirms that while correct, the phrase may not be the most frequently used option for expressing this concept, but remains appropriate in various writing scenarios.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

unable to control

Emphasizes the lack of ability to manage or direct something.

cannot hold back

Highlights the difficulty in suppressing or containing something.

unable to suppress

Focuses on the lack of power to prevent something from being expressed or known.

incapable of curbing

Indicates a lack of capability to limit or control something.

could not contain

Implies an inability to keep something within certain limits.

unable to keep in check

Highlights the lack of ability to maintain something under control.

failed to keep within limits

Suggests an inability to keep something inside some confines.

was powerless to prevent

Emphasizes a lack of power to stop something from happening.

offered no resistance to

Highlights a lack of action taken against something.

did nothing to impede

Suggests inaction in preventing something from happening or progressing.

FAQs

How can I use "fail to restrain" in a sentence?

You can use "fail to restrain" to describe a lack of control over oneself or others. For example, "The government failed to restrain the rebels" or "He failed to restrain his anger."

What can I say instead of "fail to restrain"?

You can use alternatives like "unable to control", "cannot hold back", or "unable to suppress" depending on the specific context.

Is it better to say "failed to restrain" or "did not restrain"?

"Failed to restrain" suggests an attempt was made, but was unsuccessful. "Did not restrain" simply states that no restraint occurred, without implying any attempt. The choice depends on whether an attempt at restraint was made.

What's the difference between "fail to restrain" and "refuse to restrain"?

"Fail to restrain" indicates an inability to control something, whereas "refuse to restrain" indicates a deliberate choice not to control something. The former implies a lack of power, while the latter implies a conscious decision.