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Restive is descended from the Anglo-French verb rester, meaning "to stop, resist, or remain." Its initial meaning in the 15th century was "stubbornly resisting control or guidance; obstinate in refusal," and for some time the word was primarily applied to animals such as horses. Over the next few centuries, restive gained additional, closely related meanings (such as "inflexible," "sluggish," and "persistent") and the word often described people as well as animals. In the 19th century this semantic drift extended to encompass the meaning "marked by impatience or uneasiness." Although the original "balky" sense of restive hasn't died out completely, it is overshadowed by this more recent "fidgety or impatient" one. Some usage guides still recommend against using restive in this modern sense, despite well over a century and a half of skilled writers employing it. If you're among the restive (earlier meaning) ones who balk at new meanings of words, we apologize if this news makes you feel restive (newer one).
Examples of restive in a Sentence
Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Jan. 2026
The protests have spread to Iranian provinces as far west as Ilam, a Kurdish-majority region bordering Iraq, and Lorestan, both which have emerged as restive hotspots.
—Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 9 Jan. 2026
Protests also were reported Friday in Zahedan in Iran’s restive southwestern Sistan and Baluchestan province.
—Jon Gambrell, Chicago Tribune, 9 Jan. 2026
Protests continue Friday Demonstrators took to the streets Friday in Zahedan in Iran’s restive Sistan and Baluchestan province on the border with Pakistan.
—Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 2 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for restive
Cite this Entry
“Restive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/restive. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.
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