rather constrained

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "rather constrained" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation, environment, or set of circumstances that are limited or restricted in some way. Example: "The project's budget was rather constrained, forcing the team to prioritize essential features only."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

11 human-written examples

These four letters were all carefully peer reviewed and evaluated editorially, but within the limitations of the rather constrained "Letter to the Editors" format.

Human Mutation

Insofar as widely held views on parenting support a right to determine the characteristics of one's children, and thus to determine the genetic characteristics of one's future children, they support only a rather constrained right.

Bioethics

The co-planar orientation of GlcN rings in (1↔1) diglucosamine scaffold of DA187 and its confined flexibility would not allow the rearrangement to a more compact conformation wherein the cluster of four C-14 acyl chains would have decreased hydrophobic volume necessary for entering rather constrained binding site of MD-2 (SI Figure 2S).

ACS Chemical Biology

The tight structure (each story is also 120 words long) seems to have freed, rather constrained, Charles Lambert to write something both highly individual and utterly universal".

The Guardian - Books

Lopez added, though, that Rajoy was rather constrained by the Spanish financial crisis: It's not that much about measures to boost growth, obviously it will be the contrary, but rather simply to avoid bankruptcy.

The Guardian - Business

In contrast, the teachers felt rather constrained because the use of the technology was limited to the virtual campus.

International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

Kaplan & Zingales (1995) Dividend pay-out Ordinary least square regression Cash flow sensitivity is larger for unconstrained firms rather than constrained firms which contradicts results of Fazzari et al. (1988) Kadapakkam, Kumar, & Riddick (1998) Size Ordinary least square regression The cash flow sensitivity is highest in the large firm size group and smallest in the small firm size group.

Financial Innovation

For instance, food is a relatively low-density product and loads moved by truck tend to be volume-constrained rather than weight-constrained [26].

European Transport Research Review

There are similar problems in applying other possible coding systems, for example the Care Index which has specific instructions based around three minutes of free play, rather than the constrained conditions of the TIM.

BMC Pediatrics

First, it interprets planning as a constraint satisfaction problem (CSP), rather than as a constrained optimisation, an approach ubiquitous in the path and motion planning literature.

Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence

I would say it is a constrained speculation rather then a "just so story".

Biology Direct

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "rather constrained", ensure the context clearly indicates what is causing the constraint, providing clarity and avoiding ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "rather constrained" when the limitation is severe. Opt for stronger terms like "severely limited" or "highly restricted" to accurately reflect the situation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "rather constrained" functions primarily as an adjectival modifier, describing the extent to which something is limited or restricted. As Ludwig AI notes, it's used to indicate a moderate level of constraint.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

44%

News & Media

34%

Formal & Business

22%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "rather constrained" functions as an adjectival phrase indicating a moderate degree of limitation or restriction. It is grammatically correct and finds use across varied contexts, including science, news media, and business communications. Ludwig AI analysis confirms its validity. When writing, ensure that the nature of the constraint is clear to avoid ambiguity and choose stronger terms for severe limitations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

somewhat restricted

Replaces "constrained" with "restricted" and "rather" with "somewhat", softening the intensity.

fairly limited

Substitutes "constrained" with "limited" and "rather" with "fairly", maintaining a similar level of restriction.

moderately confined

Uses "confined" instead of "constrained" and "moderately" instead of "rather", emphasizing enclosure or limitation.

slightly hampered

Employs "hampered" to replace "constrained", indicating an impediment or obstruction, and "slightly" for "rather".

a bit restricted

Replaces "rather" with "a bit", making the phrase less formal and more conversational.

relatively limited

Uses "relatively" instead of "rather" to denote a limitation in comparison to something else.

somewhat encumbered

Substitutes "constrained" with "encumbered", suggesting a burden or impediment.

mildly curtailed

Replaces "constrained" with "curtailed", implying a reduction or restriction, and "mildly" for "rather".

reasonably restrained

Employs "restrained" instead of "constrained" and "reasonably" for "rather", suggesting controlled or suppressed action.

noticeably checked

Uses "checked" to replace "constrained", indicating a limitation or control, and "noticeably" for "rather".

FAQs

How can I use "rather constrained" in a sentence?

You can use "rather constrained" to describe a situation where options or resources are somewhat limited. For example: "The project's budget was "rather constrained", so we had to prioritize carefully."

What are some alternatives to "rather constrained"?

Alternatives include "somewhat limited", "fairly restricted", or "moderately confined", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "rather constrained" formal or informal?

"Rather constrained" is generally considered neutral in tone and can be used in both formal and informal contexts. However, it's more common in written or spoken communication where a degree of formality is expected.

In what situations is it appropriate to use "rather constrained"?

It's appropriate to use "rather constrained" when you want to indicate that something is limited, but not severely so. This could apply to budgets, resources, time, or even personal freedom, as in "My movements are "rather constrained" due to my injury".