restrict
Americanverb (used with object)
-
restricts,
present (3rd person singular)
-
restricted,
past participle, past
-
restricting
present participle
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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restricternoun
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restrictornoun
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derestrictverb (used with object)
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overrestrictverb (used with object)
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prerestrictverb (used with object)
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nonrestrictingadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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restrictsimple
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restrictssimple
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have restrictedperfect
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has restrictedperfect
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am restrictingprogressive
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are restrictingprogressive
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is restrictingprogressive
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have been restrictingperfect progressive
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has been restrictingperfect progressive
Past
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restrictedsimple
-
had restrictedperfect
-
was restrictingprogressive
-
were restrictingprogressive
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had been restrictingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of restrict
First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin restrictus “drawn back, tightened, bound, reserved,” adjective use of past participle of restringere “to bind back, bind fast”; see restrain
Explanation
To restrict is to limit. If you want to eat more healthily, you might restrict, or limit, yourself to eating only foods containing fruits and vegetables –- like carrot cake and apple pie. You'll often encounter different words related to restrict. A restriction is a law or rule, like the restriction against driving a car without a license. Something that is not permitted is restricted, and this word is often used to designate physical locations that are off limits to the public. You'll often see characters in movies break into restricted areas to obtain secret information.
Vocabulary lists containing restrict
Tier 2 Words for the SBAC ELA Items
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List 9
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
That boundary can also restrict the movement of marine animals.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 22, 2026
The suit notes precedent is a case from 1977 that ruled the White House cannot arbitrarily restrict press credentials for reporters on grounds that there’s retaliation for viewpoint discrimination.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 21, 2026
The LGA said it had identified dozens of councils across Wales and England that had been forced to stop or restrict collections, with more expected to follow suit.
From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026
Some portals use their messaging services to promote themselves rather than restrict messaging to the patient’s health issues.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026
The government argued for a narrow definition, wanting to restrict the number of our people who would qualify for an indemnity.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
A quarter-point rate hike from here would get the federal funds rate between 4% and 4.25%, what Kaplan says is in the neighborhood of the neutral rate that neither accelerates nor restricts the economy.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 24, 2026
The Bass campaign’s decision came after The Times questioned whether the donations might run afoul of a city law that restricts campaign contributions by city contractors.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026
Another $193 million involves entities on the Commerce Department’s Entity List, which restricts access to sensitive U.S. technology.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 31, 2026
The loss of the princesses' skulls restricts the kinds of analyses that can be performed, and the team has not yet completed every type of investigation it hopes to conduct.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 30, 2026
“I shudder to think what that means. But perhaps it will limit Kronos’s power. For a time, at least, he is confined to a human form. It binds him together. Hopefully it also restricts him.”
From "The Battle of the Labyrinth" by Rick Riordan
Parts of south-west Scotland were already in a restricted zone, after cases in the region began appearing in August.
From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026
The cautious rollout mirrors the approach of rival Anthropic, which has kept its most advanced model, Claude Mythos Preview, restricted to a small number of trusted organizations.
From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026
We have some school systems right now that have imposed A.I. bans or are keeping generative apps restricted to certain uses.
From Slate ● Sep. 29, 2026
During the staffer’s final weeks on the job, the person put potentially sensitive files on an unencrypted USB drive and sent others to personal email addresses, days before traveling to a restricted country.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026
Powell caught at his elbow as he walked away, “Sir, is the ship still restricted ground?”
From "I, Robot" by Isaac Asimov
Baghdad and Washington agreed in 2024 to wind down the coalition's mission, and its troops withdrew gradually from bases across the country, restricting their presence to the autonomous northern Kurdistan region.
From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026
If foreign governments respond by restricting exports, fewer barrels will circulate through an already tight market.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026
One woman told us her droopy eyelids had been restricting her vision and causing her headaches.
From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2026
“It also exacerbates the pressures facing America’s electric grid by forcing critical existing power plants into early retirement and severely restricting the operation of new natural gas plants,” Matheson said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026
Her success earned her an offer for a graduate fellowship, but she thought spending three years studying a single medieval poet sounded restricting.
From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
