Definition of "constriction" [con•stric•tion]

• The act or process of constricting. (noun)
• The condition or result of being constricted. (noun)
• Something that constricts. (noun)
• A feeling of tightness or pressure: Fear caused a sudden constriction in my chest. (noun)
• A constricted or narrow part. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "Unfortunately, lower labor costs also constrict and undermine the economy, and that constriction is usually far more destructive than any benefit society might derive from cheaper labor."
• "The constriction is a pregnant pause, a signaling moment, to let you know the time is ... now!"
• "Colic is defined as the constriction of a tube within the body."