Definition of RESTRICTIVE

of or relating to restriction; serving or tending to restrict; limiting the reference of a modified word or phrase… See the full definition

restrictive


adjective


Save Word


re·​stric·​tive


|



ri-ˈstrik-tiv


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

Keep scrolling for more

Other Words from

restrictive


restrictive


noun


restrictively


adverb


restrictiveness


noun

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.

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 on the Web


Counties must record two straight weeks of qualifying data to advance to a less

restrictive

tier and have to stay in a tier at least three weeks before moving again.




Luke Money,

Los Angeles Times

, “Santa Barbara County among 5 joining orange tier as California’s reopening continues,” 20 Apr. 2021


The decision was announced Thursday, March 24, when Santa Clara County moved into the less

restrictive

orange tier — now joining San Francisco, Marin, San Mateo counties.




Chronicle Staff,

San Francisco Chronicle

, “Coronavirus news from the Bay Area: March 25-31, 2021,” 11 Apr. 2021


Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, Montana, North Carolina, and South Carolina were moved down to the less

restrictive

tier.




Mica Soellner,

Washington Examiner

, “Chicago to put travel procedures on four states and DC over rise in COVID-19 cases,” 6 Apr. 2021


Los Angeles County, currently in the red tier, is eligible to enter the less

restrictive

orange tier.




Kimi Robinson,

The Arizona Republic

, “Universal Studios Hollywood is reopening. Here’s why Arizonans can’t buy tickets for now,” 1 Apr. 2021


In California, 13 counties are moving to a less

restrictive

tier, state health officials said Tuesday.




Christina Maxouris,

CNN

, “A dangerous coronavirus variant is wreaking havoc in parts of Europe. Experts fear US could be next,” 31 Mar. 2021


San Francisco, Marin and Santa Clara counties were among those moving to less

restrictive

tiers in the state’s four-level system.




From Usa Today Network And Wire Reports,

USA TODAY

, “Underground proms, popcorn problems, lobster relief: News from around our 50 states,” 25 Mar. 2021


Those numbers place the county on the cusp of the less

restrictive

red tier of COVID-19 restrictions, which would allow more schools and businesses to reopen.




Deborah Sullivan Brennan,

San Diego Union-Tribune

, “Candidates for 79th Assembly District weigh in on pandemic response and recovery,” 13 Mar. 2021


How do Bay Area counties move from the purple tier to even less

restrictive

tiers?




Jessica Flores,

SFChronicle.com

, “What comes next for Bay Area’s reopening? Here’s what you need to know,” 25 Jan. 2021

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

.


See More

First Known Use of

restrictive

1579, in the meaning defined at

sense 1a

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about

restrictive

Statistics for

restrictive

Last Updated

25 Apr 2021


Look-up Popularity

Cite this Entry

“Restrictive.”

Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary

, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/restrictive. Accessed 1 May. 2021.

Style:

MLA


MLA



Chicago



APA



Merriam-Webster

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for

restrictive

restrictive



adjective

English Language Learners Definition of

restrictive



:

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


See the full definition for

restrictive

in the English Language Learners Dictionary

restrictive


adjective


re·​stric·​tive


|



ri-ˈstrik-tiv


Kids Definition of

restrictive



:

serving or likely to keep within bounds

restrictive


adjective


re·​stric·​tive


|



ri-ˈstrik-tiv


Legal Definition of

restrictive


1


a



:

of or relating to restriction


b



:

serving or tending to restrict


2



:

prohibiting further negotiation

Other Words from

restrictive


restrictively


adverb


restrictiveness


noun

More from Merriam-Webster on

restrictive

Nglish:

Translation of

restrictive

for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English:

Translation of

restrictive

for Arabic Speakers

Comments on

restrictive

What made you want to look up

restrictive

? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

1 2 3

Share