restrictive
Americanadjective
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tending or serving to restrict.
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of the nature of a restriction.
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expressing or implying restriction or limitation of application, as terms, expressions, etc.
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Grammar. limiting the meaning of a modified element.
a restrictive adjective.
adjective
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restricting or tending to restrict
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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
Etymology
Origin of restrictive
1375–1425; late Middle English < Middle French restrictif < Latin restrict ( us ) ( see restrict) + Middle French -if -ive
Explanation
Restrictive is an adjective that describes something that keeps people within certain boundaries. A household where you aren't allowed to play video-games, watch TV, or eat junk food is restrictive. If you noticed that restrictive is wrapped around the word strict, you're on to something. Strict comes from the Latin stringere, and you can probably guess what that means, right? Well, not "string," actually, but close: "to bind tight," either with string or rope or whatever does the job. The kids in a restrictive household are kept from doing so many things they might as well be tied up.
Vocabulary lists containing restrictive
"Women in Aviation," Vocabulary from the informational text
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Lesson 4
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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.
That distinction matters because it shows that the evolutionary relationship between the two codons is not as restrictive as scientists had assumed.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 8, 2026
“It seems overly restrictive if they are not allowed to sell the stock for five years,” he tells MarketWatch.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 6, 2026
For too long, Christianity’s response to modernity was dismissed as outdated, restrictive or incapable of addressing a pluralistic society.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
"This is very restrictive injunctive relief that's going to require them to change a lot of the policies that we had identified as the culprits in what we call the war on childhood," Robertson said.
From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026
Indeed, with some restrictive relatives, which is the only option, such as That which doesn’t kill you makes you stronger and The book in which I scribbled my notes is worthless.
From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker
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.
