restriction
Americannoun
-
something that restricts; a restrictive condition or regulation; limitation.
- Synonyms:
- restraint, reservation, provision, rule
-
the act of restricting.
-
the state of being restricted.
noun
-
something that restricts; a restrictive measure, law, etc
-
the act of restricting or the state of being restricted
-
logic maths a condition that imposes a constraint on the possible values of a variable or on the domain of arguments of a function
Other Word Forms
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.
Vocabulary lists containing restriction
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
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Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
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Central America and the Caribbean - Introductory
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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.
The rules forbid the efficient solution, and the player accepts them not despite the restriction but because of it.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 11, 2026
While restrained eating can support weight loss when balanced, extreme restriction can sometimes contribute to unhealthy eating behaviors.
From Science Daily • May 7, 2026
Dresser also criticized Anthropic’s strategy for being built on “fear, restriction, and the idea that a small group of elites should control AI.”
From MarketWatch • Apr. 13, 2026
"The Strait must be open -- fully, unconditionally and without restriction."
From Barron's • Apr. 9, 2026
And now that they were already disobeying the restriction about discussing it—well, why not ask?
From "Son" by Lois Lowry
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.
