Definition of restrictive
1a : of or relating to restrictionb : serving or tending to restrict restrictive regulations
2 : limiting the reference of a modified word or phrase
3 : prohibiting further negotiation
restrictive
nounrestrictively
adverbrestrictiveness
nounExplore M-W
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
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Already, corporations have weighed in to support less restrictive immigration policies and LGBTQ rights, and pushed for boycotts, such as when North Carolina tried to enact a discriminatory bathroom bill —
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Mr. Quarles is regarded as significantly more sympathetic than Mr. Tarullo to the industry’s concerns that regulation is overly restrictive, limiting economic growth.
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In 2017, global ideas about gender as a restrictive binary social construct are gradually breaking down.
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East Timor’s fragile press freedom has come under attack with the passing of a restrictive media law in 2014 that can be used to stifle investigative journalism.
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The move responds to complaints from oil companies and state officials that the Obama administration was too restrictive, blocking drilling in promising areas while hampering their ability to build pipelines across the 23-million-acre reserve.
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Jill’s definition of SRI is very restrictive, compared to others.
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A proposal to regulate food trucks in Mandeville was tabled by the City Council Thursday night (May 25) so that more restrictive rules could be drafted to govern their operation.
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Layer a mesh crop top over a basic sports bra and pair it with sporty track pants, which aren't nearly as restrictive as leggings — amen!
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.
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First Known Use of restrictive
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RESTRICTIVE Defined for English Language Learners
restrictive
playDefinition of restrictive for English Language Learners
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: limiting or controlling someone or something
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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
RESTRICTIVE Defined for Kids
restrictive
playDefinition of restrictive for Students
: serving or likely to keep within bounds
Law Dictionary
restrictive
playLegal Definition of restrictive
1a : of or relating to restriction b : serving or tending to restrict
2 : prohibiting further negotiation
restrictively
adverbrestrictiveness
nounLearn More about restrictive
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See words that rhyme with restrictive Spanish Central: Translation of restrictive Nglish: Translation of restrictive for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of restrictive for Arabic speakers
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