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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in restless
lacking or denying rest
spent a restive night worrying about the next day's exam
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of restive
At least six people, including four schoolchildren, were killed when a bomb hit a school bus in Pakistan’s restive southwestern Balochistan Province on Wednesday morning, officials said, the latest outbreak of violence in a region plagued by separatist insurgency and militancy.
—
Zia Ur-Rehman, New York Times, 21 May 2025
Extending Trump’s tax cuts and fulfilling his campaign trail promises are a top priority for Republican lawmakers, who are facing pressure to deliver economic relief to restive voters ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
—Sylvan Lane, The Hill, 20 May 2025
Bodies, when Shuang describes them, are ill-proportioned and restive.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 29 Apr. 2025
Pakistan denied involvement and accused India of trying to deflect attention from security lapses in the restive region.
—Salman Masood, New York Times, 24 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for restive
Zia Ur-Rehman, New York Times, 21 May 2025
Extending Trump’s tax cuts and fulfilling his campaign trail promises are a top priority for Republican lawmakers, who are facing pressure to deliver economic relief to restive voters ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
—Sylvan Lane, The Hill, 20 May 2025
Bodies, when Shuang describes them, are ill-proportioned and restive.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 29 Apr. 2025
Pakistan denied involvement and accused India of trying to deflect attention from security lapses in the restive region.
—Salman Masood, New York Times, 24 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for restive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for restive
Adjective
-
Mexican music has always been rock-ish in spirit — sincere, rebellious, a direct message that invites you to rebel against the world.—
Ernesto Lechner,
Los Angeles Times,
24 June 2025
-
Strahovski shares details about her character’s state of mind the moment when everything changed with a bold and rebellious move, after finding love again with Commander Wharton (Josh Charles), below.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
22 June 2025
Adjective
-
But the road to telling that story began with a restless boy in a quiet town, one who found escape not on the water, but in the light of screens both big and small, captivated by Steven Spielberg’s work and the classic soap opera Guiding Light.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
19 June 2025
-
Meanwhile, the restless Seonwoo smells a vile stench from the apartment below where a lonely woman lives, and investigates.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
18 June 2025
Adjective
-
Serena became an integral part of the rebel movement to destroy Gilead.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
22 June 2025
-
But on Friday, the beer maker said the situation had deteriorated further, and that armed personnel had taken control of its facilities in Bukavu and Goma - eastern Congo’s two biggest cities, now under rebel control - and nearby areas.—
Reuters,
CNN Money,
20 June 2025
Adjective
-
That’s what makes their fourth studio album, Lucius, almost defiant in its return to form.—
Marissa R. Moss,
Rolling Stone,
11 June 2025
-
Asked about his potential exit at the weekend while on international duty for Germany, Ter Stegen was defiant.—
Tom Sanderson,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
Adjective
-
Then Curry, rattled by the monumental reverb of Kyrie’s shot, hurried into a stubborn approach on the ensuing possession, missed a desperate 3 over Kevin Love, who used his length and a rare display of defensive intensity to deny Curry a good look.—
David Aldridge,
New York Times,
22 June 2025
-
All of which can be employed by Musk or anyone else using AI to target us with false political advertising tailored to our most stubborn biases, further dividing us, manipulating elections and solidifying what has already become a fascist state.—
Sal Recchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
22 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Restive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/restive. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share