restrictive

[ri-strik-tiv]

adjective

1. tending or serving to restrict.

2. of the nature of a restriction.

3. expressing or implying restriction or limitation of application, as terms, expressions, etc.

4. Grammar.,  limiting the meaning of a modified element.

   a restrictive adjective.

restrictive

/ rɪˈstrɪktɪv /

adjective

1. restricting or tending to restrict

2. grammar denoting a relative clause or phrase that restricts the number of possible referents of its antecedent. The relative clause in Americans who live in New York is restrictive; the relative clause in Americans, who are generally extrovert , is nonrestrictive

Other Word Forms

• restrictively adverb
• restrictiveness noun
• unrestrictive adjective
• unrestrictively adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of restrictive¹

1375–1425; late Middle English < Middle French restrictif < Latin restrict ( us ) ( restrict ) + Middle French -if -ive

Example Sentences

She first opened up about her restrictive diet and binge eating in her 2001 autobiography, “Learning to Fly.”

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He believes a restrictive immigration policy, the spread of artificial intelligence, and the retirement of baby boomers have altered workforce dynamics in ways that make old benchmarks unreliable.

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“We call him the most expensive rescue dog we’ve ever had,” Knowles said of Ted, who is now on a restrictive diet.

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Presumably we have the right to make our home unavailable so that memory care is the least restrictive available option?

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“I view the current stance of policy as only slightly restrictive, which I think is the right place to be,” Schmid said.

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Related Words

• definitive 
• exclusive 
• selective