restrictive

adjective re·stric·tive \ ri-ˈstrik-tiv \

Updated on: 12 Apr 2018

Definition of restrictive

1 a : of or relating to restriction

b : serving or tending to restrict

restrictive regulations

2 : limiting the reference of a modified word or phrase

3 : prohibiting further negotiation

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restrictive

noun

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restrictively

adverb

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restrictiveness

noun

See restrictive defined for English-language learners

See restrictive defined for kids

Examples of restrictive in a Sentence

In the sentence “The book that you ordered is out of print,” “that you ordered” is a restrictive clause.

Recent Examples of restrictive from the Web

In its ruling 18 years ago, the appeals court said the city's more restrictive charter trumps state law.

— dan horn, Cincinnati.com, "City Council's Harry Black investigation might have a problem: Cincinnati's charter," 5 Apr. 2018
Last week, a Senate judiciary committee shot down another bill to allow more guns in schools, one that was much more restrictive than Garofalo's.

— julia o'donoghue, NOLA.com, "Bills to let Louisiana teachers, college students carry guns on campus die in House committee," 4 Apr. 2018
Many of the metropolitan areas with the strongest rates of job creation — and hence housing demand — have restrictive zoning laws that make finding suitable land a challenge.

— neil irwin, New York Times, "What to Expect From the Housing Market This Spring," 28 Mar. 2018
Cantelme said that didn't pose a legal problem because the change was more restrictive on spending than what Congress had already approved.

— ronald j. hansen, azcentral, "In a 2,200-page bill, 84 words might spare Arizona schools a $344 million hit," 28 Mar. 2018
Anti-government protests this year over a struggling economy and then restrictive dress laws for women have highlighted the different visions for Iran’s future held by more moderate politicians and conservative hardliners.

— ladane nasseri, Bloomberg.com, "Iran’s Supreme Leader Says Nation Tested But Will Emerge Stronger," 21 Mar. 2018
Such a program would undoubtedly enjoy stronger bipartisan support than America’s current restrictive health-care law.

— phil gramm, WSJ, "How to Complete the Escape From ObamaCare," 15 Mar. 2018
The walkouts were also aimed at underscoring the prevalence of gun violence in the United States and double as calls for more restrictive gun laws.

— evan frank, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "'Enough is enough': Hundreds of Lake Country high schoolers participate in national school walkout," 14 Mar. 2018
Pennsylvania State Representative Mike Turzai, who has openly discussed the ways restrictive voter ID laws benefit his party, also paid tribute to Dr. King.

— lauren lluveras, Teen Vogue, "Lawmakers Shouldn't Praise Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. While Restricting Voting Rights," 16 Jan. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'restrictive.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

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.

First Known Use of restrictive

1579

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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RESTRICTIVE Defined for English Language Learners

restrictive

adjective

Definition of restrictive for English Language Learners

: limiting or controlling someone or something
grammar of a word or group of words : giving information about a person or thing that is needed to understand which person or thing is meant