Meaning & use
restively
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Meaning
adverbliterary
In a restless, impatient way, as if unable to stay still or accept control.
Grammar: Used to describe how someone moves, waits, or behaves; it usually comes after a verb.
Patterns
- wait restively
- move restively
- shift restively
The horse shifted restively while the rider tightened the saddle.
He waited restively by the gate, checking his watch every few seconds.
The crowd stirred restively as the delayed announcement dragged on.
Common combinations
- wait restively
- She waited restively for the interview to begin.
- shift restively
- The students shifted restively in their seats.
- stir restively
- The audience stirred restively when the speaker paused.
- pace restively
- He paced restively outside the operating room.
Synonyms and how they differ
- restlessly
- More common and general; it simply means unable to relax, while 'restively' adds a hint of resistance to being controlled.
- impatiently
- Focuses on annoyance at waiting; 'restively' stresses physical fidgeting more than irritation.
- uneasily
- Suggests worry rather than the restless movement that 'restively' describes.
Opposites
Word family
- restive adjective
- Restless, impatient, or unwilling to be controlled.
- restiveness noun
- The state of being restless or impatient.
Commonly confused: restively or restfully? restively or restively / restively?
restively vs restfully
'Restfully' means in a calm, relaxing way — nearly the opposite of 'restively'.
restively vs restively / restively
Do not confuse the adjective 'restive' with 'restful' (calm and peaceful); they sound similar but mean very different things.
Practice
The audience began to stir ______ as the speaker went far past the scheduled time.
Choose one answer.
'Restively' means in a restless, impatient way, which fits an audience growing tired of waiting. 'Restfully' means calmly and peacefully, the opposite of what the sentence needs.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “restively”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.