restive
impatient of control, restraint, or delay, as persons; restless; uneasy.
refractory; stubborn.
refusing to go forward; balky: a restive horse.
Origin of restive
1Other words for restive
Opposites for restive
Other words from restive
- res·tive·ly, adverb
- res·tive·ness, noun
Words that may be confused with restive
- restful, restive
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use restive in a sentence
Hindu restiveness over representation of the faith in Western culture has grown over the years.
There is a restiveness in human nature that resists compulsion, even to its own manifest advantage.
The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4 | Jane PorterThe trained horses, being all together, had shown themselves wonderfully free from restiveness.
Forging the Blades | Bertram MitfordBut the delay in reaching the figure in the gallery produced great restiveness.
"Persons Unknown" | Virginia TracyLady Cantire (perceiving that the Bishop is showing signs of restiveness).
Lyre and Lancet | F. Anstey
For a long time he had striven to mute Art's musical restiveness.
Mrs. Bindle | Hebert Jenkins
British Dictionary definitions for restive
/ (ˈrɛstɪv) /
restless, nervous, or uneasy
impatient of control or authority
Origin of restive
1Derived forms of restive
- restively, adverb
- restiveness, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Browse