Meaning & use

restrictive

adjective·Academic

Limiting freedom, choice, or movement more than is comfortable or necessary.

See it in a sentence

The school's restrictive dress code frustrated many of the students.

They complained the new visa rules were too restrictive for foreign workers.

A note on using this word

In grammar, a "restrictive clause" narrows the meaning of a noun and is not set off by commas, unlike a nonrestrictive one.

Words with a similar meaning

limitingconstrainingstrict

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

permissivelenient

Make it your own

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