1
as in rebellious
given to resisting authority or another's control
the restive horse threw its head and refused to move when the rider urged it forward
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in restless
lacking or denying rest
spent a restive night worrying about the next day's exam
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of restive
Arab governments that for decades have been fierce advocates for the Palestinian cause are now facing criticism for their timid response to the extreme suffering in Gaza caused by Israel's war, risking a dangerous rift with their increasingly restive citizens.
—
Mo Abbas, NBC news, 13 Aug. 2025
Advertisement Advertisement The Trump Administration brokered a cease-fire between Israel and Syria, U.S. envoy to Syria Tom Barrack said on Friday, but some within the Administration have grown restive over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recalcitrance, Axios reported on Sunday.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 22 July 2025
But the increasing Muslim majority was growing restive.
—John Carlisle, Freep.com, 31 May 2025
While Pakistani security forces frequently target TTP hideouts in the restive northwest and elsewhere, such operations in Kashmir are rare.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, Arkansas Online, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for restive
Mo Abbas, NBC news, 13 Aug. 2025
Advertisement Advertisement The Trump Administration brokered a cease-fire between Israel and Syria, U.S. envoy to Syria Tom Barrack said on Friday, but some within the Administration have grown restive over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recalcitrance, Axios reported on Sunday.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 22 July 2025
But the increasing Muslim majority was growing restive.
—John Carlisle, Freep.com, 31 May 2025
While Pakistani security forces frequently target TTP hideouts in the restive northwest and elsewhere, such operations in Kashmir are rare.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, Arkansas Online, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for restive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for restive
Adjective
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There's just something so irresistible about the lace-up flat with its air of rebellious discipline.—
Alex Sales,
Glamour,
12 Oct. 2025
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Singer Kelis has always been rebellious and non-conforming.—
Elizabeth Ayoola,
Essence,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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That election, which will select members of Iraq's 329-seat parliament, comes amid rising unemployment, which continues to weigh on Iraq's young and restless population.—
Emma Graham,
CNBC,
15 Oct. 2025
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An impressive four-game winning streak followed a lopsided loss at Wazzu that had some natives not just restless but greasing skids and sharpening pitchforks.—
Kirk Kenney,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Since Gaddafi was removed from power and killed by rebel forces in 2011, Libya has found itself in turmoil — and its domestic football has mirrored its politics.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
10 Oct. 2025
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Less than a year after Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali became a Nobel laureate in 2019, a brutal conflict erupted in Tigray, a northern regional state in Ethiopia, between Ethiopian federal military forces and the Tigray People's Liberation Front, a rebel group.—
Kim Hjelmgaard,
USA Today,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Kurt Caz, a white South African social-media star with millions of followers across platforms, first gained popularity through filming his defiant tours of dangerous neighborhoods in countries such as Venezuela and Kenya.—
T. M. Brown,
New Yorker,
15 Oct. 2025
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In a defiant address to the nation on Monday night, Rajoelina said that he had been forced to move to a safe place because of threats to his life.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
14 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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These two ingredients mixed together creates a powerful mixture perfect for lifting stubborn stains off grout because of their high cleaning and brightening properties.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
10 Oct. 2025
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Scientists have discovered a cleaner, faster way to recycle one of the world’s most stubborn plastics, not with heat or chemicals, but with sheer mechanical force.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Restive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/restive. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.
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