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
Derived 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.
But since its inception, the system has been more restrictive and worked less efficiently than some schools and athletes might have hoped.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026
And with labor demand cooling and inflation appearing to drift back toward the Fed’s target but for tariff-driven increases, interest rates looked restrictive.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 6, 2026
To get inflation back to 2%, Logan said it’s looking like the Fed will need to put at least mildly restrictive policy in place to finish the job.
From Barron's • Jun. 3, 2026
Bypassing censorship Some jurisdictions are more restrictive than others, with many heavily censoring Internet access.
From Salon • Jun. 2, 2026
She then peeped round to where I sat; so stern a neighbour was too restrictive: to him, in his present fractious mood, she dared whisper no observations, nor ask of him any information.
From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë
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.
