restrictive
adjective
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Restrictive covenants (that is, agreements) in real-estate deeds were once used to forbid the buyer from ever selling the property to anyone of another race. These are now illegal, though other kinds of restrictive covenants are very common; in some neighborhoods, they may even tell you what colors you can't paint your house. In grammar, a restrictive clause is one that limits the meaning of something that comes before it. In the sentence "That's the professor who I'm trying to avoid", "who I'm trying to avoid" is a restrictive clause, since it's what identifies the professor. But in the sentence "That's my History professor, who I'm trying to avoid", the same clause is nonrestrictive, since the professor has already been identified as "my History professor". There should always be a comma before a nonrestrictive clause, but not before a restrictive clause.
Examples of restrictive in a Sentence
Mallary Tenore Tarpley, Time, 5 Sep. 2025
That designation allows pilots to operate aircraft with a less restrictive Sport Pilot Certificate than the traditional Private Pilot Certificate.
—Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 5 Sep. 2025
This evolution in masculinity, where vulnerability and authenticity are valued, moves away from the restrictive path in which the men interviewed by USA TODAY were raised.
—Laura Trujillo, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
The diet's restrictive nature may cause feelings of social isolation or stress when dining out with others.
—Lindsey Desoto, Health, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for restrictive
Cite this Entry
“Restrictive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/restrictive. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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restrictive
adjective
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restrictive
adjective
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