restriction

American  

[ri-strik-shuhn] / rɪˈstrɪk ʃən /

noun

• restrictions
  plural

1. something that restricts; a restrictive condition or regulation; limitation.

   Synonyms:

   restraint, reservation, provision, rule

2. the act of restricting.

3. the state of being restricted.

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restriction British  

/ rɪˈstrɪkʃən /

noun

1. something that restricts; a restrictive measure, law, etc

2. the act of restricting or the state of being restricted

3. logic maths a condition that imposes a constraint on the possible values of a variable or on the domain of arguments of a function

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonrestriction
  noun
• overrestriction
  noun
• prerestriction
  noun
• restrictionist
  noun
• self-restriction
  noun
• superrestriction
  noun
• prorestriction
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• restrictions
  plural

Etymology

Origin of restriction

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Late Latin restrictiōn-, stem of restrictiō; equivalent to restrict + -ion

Explanation

A restriction is a limitation or a restraint, like when a size restriction keeps you from jumping on a toddler trampoline and bouncing the smaller kids a mile up in the air. Usually a restriction is in place because a limit needs to be set. Common sense would keep you from putting a bowling ball in a paper bag; you wouldn’t need a restriction to tell you not to do it. Sometimes a restriction is the result of doing something bad or misusing a privilege, as when your parents put a restriction on video gaming to limit your time in front of the TV.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

restriction restrictions

A restriction that would draw constitutional scrutiny if government imposed it directly shouldn’t necessarily dodge that scrutiny because it arrived wrapped inside a consent judgment.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026

His decision, which blocks the Texas attorney general from enforcing the law, noted that the prohibition was “an unconstitutional restriction on speech.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026

Most participants in the study lost about 18 pounds after two years of moderate calorie restriction.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 26, 2026

By contrast, both technologies have already been widely used in England and Wales since 2018 and there are plans to start imposing new restriction zones on offenders this autumn.

From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026

From the sound of it, had I stayed in California I might have ended up in a cult or at the very least practicing some weird dietary restriction.

From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt

Nine other European countries joined a statement saying they planned to introduce or support restrictions on trade with settlements.

From Barron's ● Sep. 9, 2026

In its letter, the Bureau of Reclamation cited concerns about restrictions on pumping under the state’s plan.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026

This year, India marginally relaxed restrictions on Chinese investments and pledged to complete scrutiny of Chinese investment proposals within 60 days in some sectors.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026

The Consultative Shipping Group warned that global conflicts, trade restrictions and chokepoints are raising costs and supply chain uncertainty.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026

Violet is the only one of my friends who ever thinks about my dietary restrictions.

From "Love, Hate & Other Filters" by Samira Ahmed

Related Words

• check
• condition
• constraint
• control
• curb
• limit
• regulation
• restraint
• rule
• stipulation
• stricture