restrictive

adjective

re·​stric·​tive ri-ˈstrik-tiv How to pronounce restrictive (audio)
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
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
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.
Additionally, hospital systems with more restrictive budgets may be working with more outdated legacy data formats and application programming interfaces that cannot adequately support FHIR, which requires another technological step to implement seamless data sharing. Jason Povio, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025 Basic fares: Southwest is adding a cheaper — and more restrictive — basic economy fare. Jason Stauffer, CNBC, 12 Mar. 2025 States like Alabama, Tennessee, and Louisiana became more attractive to employers during the pandemic as locations for new facilities due to less restrictive policies, lower cost-of-living, and more opportunity for growth. Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 12 Mar. 2025 Other changes, such as the introduction of a more restrictive Basic Economy fare (similar to those offered by American, Delta, and United), could be frustrating for travelers, especially those who appreciated that Southwest didn’t have confusing ticket tiers. Bailey Berg, AFAR Media, 11 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for restrictive

Word History

First Known Use

1579, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of restrictive was in 1579

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Cite this Entry

“Restrictive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/restrictive. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

restrictive

adjective
re·​stric·​tive ri-ˈstrik-tiv How to pronounce restrictive (audio)
1
: serving or likely to restrict
2
: limiting the reference of a modified word or phrase
restrictive noun
restrictively adverb
restrictiveness noun

Legal Definition

restrictive

adjective
re·​stric·​tive ri-ˈstrik-tiv How to pronounce restrictive (audio)
1
a
: of or relating to restriction
b
: serving or tending to restrict
2
: prohibiting further negotiation
restrictively adverb
restrictiveness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on restrictive

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