stricture
noun
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Stricture has meant many things through the centuries, and its "restriction" meaning—probably the most common one today—is actually the most recent. High-school teachers often put strictures on texting during class. Cities concerned about their murder rate have slapped strictures on the possession of handguns. And the United Nations may vote to put strictures on arms sales to a country that keeps violating international treaties. With the meaning "strong criticism", stricture is slightly old-fashioned today, but it's still used by intellectuals. So, for example, an article may amount to a harsh stricture on the whole medical profession, or an art review may just express the critic's strictures on sentimental paintings of cute little houses with glowing windows.
Examples of stricture in a Sentence
Suzanne Cope, People.com, 28 Apr. 2025
Structural problems: In rare cases, structural issues like strictures (narrowing of the esophagus) or tumors can interfere with swallowing.
—Lindsay Curtis, Health, 27 Apr. 2025
And unlike last time, Marocco is now without strictures and answers to few in the executive branch besides Trump himself.
—Brett Murphy, ProPublica, 16 Feb. 2025
Other causes, like a urethral stricture, may need surgery.
—Patty Weasler, Rn, Bsn, Verywell Health, 9 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stricture
Cite this Entry
“Stricture.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stricture. Accessed 5 May. 2025.
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stricture
noun
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stricture
noun
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