English · Word Candidate

restrictive

/ɹɪˈstɹɪktɪv/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: restrictives

Sense 1

Meaning · English

Confining, limiting, containing within defined bounds.

Adjective

Examples

The help tended to be officious, the rules, if heeded, restrictive, and the management meddlesome.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

limiting free and easy bodily movement.

Adjective

Examples

Some of them [teenagers] who will become lesbians clearly are being hit with the same kind of garbage which we got hit with in the fifties. There's been a real resurgence of that in terms of values and double standards and music. The clothes again — we're back to high heels and restrictive little fe

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Meaning · English

A clause that narrows the meaning of a noun or noun phrase.

Noun

Examples

[…] a couple of further differences between restrictive and non-restrictive relative clauses: (1) in contrast with restrictives, the wh-phrase in non-restrictives cannot be ellipted; […]

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “restrictive” mean?

Confining, limiting, containing within defined bounds.

Is “restrictive” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.