restive

res·tive

adjective \ˈres-tiv\

Definition of RESTIVE

1

: stubbornly resisting control : balky

2

: marked by impatience or uneasiness : fidgety

— res·tive·ly adverb

— res·tive·ness noun

Examples of RESTIVE

1. <the restive horse threw its head and refused to move when the rider urged it forward>
2. <spent a restive night worrying about the next day's exam>

Origin of RESTIVE

Middle English restyf, from Anglo-French restif, from rester to stop, resist, remain

First Known Use: 15th century

Related to RESTIVE

Synonyms

balky, contrary, contumacious, defiant, froward, incompliant, insubordinate, intractable, obstreperous, rebel, rebellious, recalcitrant, recusant, refractory, disobedient, ungovernable, unruly, untoward, wayward, willful (or wilful)

Antonyms

amenable, biddable, compliant, conformable, docile, obedient, ruly, submissive, tractable

Related Words

noncooperative, uncooperative; insurgent, mutinous; adamant, adamantine, dogged, hardheaded, headstrong, immovable, implacable, inflexible, mulish, negativistic, obdurate, obstinate, opinionated, peevish, pertinacious, pigheaded, rigid, self-willed, stubborn, unbending, uncompromising, unrelenting, unyielding; fractious, disobedient, uncontrollable, unmanageable, wild; perverse, resistant, wrongheaded; bad, disorderly, errant, misbehaving, mischievous, monkeying, monkeyish, naughty; undisciplined; dissident, nonconformist; discourteous, disrespectful, ill-bred, ill-mannered, ill-natured, impertinent, impolite, impudent, inconsiderate, insolent, ornery, rude, uncivil, uncouth, ungracious, unmannerly

Near Antonyms

acquiescent, agreeable, amiable, cooperative, deferential, obliging; yielding; behaved, disciplined, well-bred; courteous, polite, respectful; kowtowing, obsequious, servile, slavish, subservient; decorous, mannerly, orderly, proper; controllable, governable, manageable, trainable

See Synonym Discussion at contrary

Rhymes with RESTIVE

festive