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restive

[ res-tiv ]
/ ˈrɛs tɪv /
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See synonyms for restive on Thesaurus.com
adjective
impatient of control, restraint, or delay, as persons; restless; uneasy.
refractory; stubborn.
refusing to go forward; balky: a restive horse.
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Origin of restive

1375–1425; rest2 + -ive; replacing late Middle English restif stationary, balking <Old French: inert

OTHER WORDS FROM restive

res·tive·ly, adverbres·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. 2023

Words related to restive

agitated, fractious, jittery, recalcitrant, restless, tense, uneasy, unruly, balky, contrary, edgy, fidgety, fretful, froward, ill at ease, jumpy, nervy, obstinate, on edge, ornery

How to use restive in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for restive

restive
/ (ˈrɛstɪv) /
adjective
restless, nervous, or uneasy
impatient of control or authority

Derived forms of restive

restively, adverbrestiveness, noun

Word Origin for restive

C16: from Old French restif balky, from rester to remain
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
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