restricted
Americanadjective
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confined; limited.
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(of information, a document, etc.)
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bearing the classification restricted, usually the lowest level of classified information.
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limited to persons authorized to use information, documents, etc., so classified.
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limited to or admitting only members of a particular group or class.
a restricted neighborhood; a restricted hotel.
adjective
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limited or confined
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not accessible to the general public or ( esp US ) out of bounds to military personnel
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denoting or in a zone in which a speed limit or waiting restrictions for vehicles apply
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of restricted
Explanation
Have you ever seen a door labeled Restricted? If so, you probably know it means "Stay out." A restricted area can only be entered by certain people. Anything labeled restricted is not public. Restricted things are private, and only certain people who are authorized can access or use those things. Anything restricted is subject to more rules. In sports, a restricted free agent has to worry about more rules than an unrestricted free agent. Something or someone restricted has to deal with restrictions, which are rules or laws that set limits.
Vocabulary lists containing restricted
Nothing But the Truth
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Selection Vocabulary 3, Unit 4
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Selection Vocabulary 1, Unit 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.
It’s also unclear whether restricted eating times would help those who don’t need to lose weight or whether further curtailing the time of eating would make even greater improvements in cognition, Shapses said.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026
"Additional police resources are being deployed to assist in contacting those who need to leave their properties and to maintain cordons around restricted areas while our fire service colleagues continue to tackle the wildfire."
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
The substances that were under review are among those that former president Joe Biden's administration restricted from compounding, notably over a lack of human clinical trial data.
From Barron's ● Jul. 24, 2026
That absence led many researchers to conclude that apes and their close relatives were largely restricted to areas farther south in Africa at the time.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 24, 2026
A teacher once reported you for sneaking into a restricted area of the library, looking for old military texts.
From "Legend" by Marie Lu
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.
