restrictive

/rɪˈstrɪktɪv/ (bre, ipa) · /rɪˈstrɪktɪv/ (ame, ipa) · /ri-ˈstrik-tiv/ (ame, mw)

restrictive — adjective

  • restrictivepositive
  • more restrictivecomparative
  • most restrictivesuperlative

1. placing limits on what people or things are allowed to do, often making it diffi

1.形容詞B2
釋義

placing limits on what people or things are allowed to do, often making it difficult for them to act freely or to develop

例句

The school's restrictive dress code does not allow students to wear shorts.

collocation: restrictive dress code / restrictive rules

Otis felt the restrictive rules at his new job were unfair to part-time workers.

同義詞
  • limiting

    more general, less formal; 'limiting rules' sounds natural but weaker in force

  • confining

    emphasises physical or spatial restriction; 'a confining office'

  • constraining

    suggests pressure or force that holds back; 'constraining regulations'

反義詞
  • permissive

    allows a lot of freedom; 'a permissive policy'

  • lenient

    not strict; 'lenient rules'

用法筆記

Commonly paired with nouns describing rules, conditions, or environments that control behaviour or limit options.

常見錯誤

❌The teacher was very restrictive with the students.
✅The teacher had very restrictive rules for the students.
💡'restrictive' describes the rules or conditions, not the person who enforces them.

2. (in grammar) describing a clause, modifier, or other structure that identifies w

2.形容詞C1
釋義

(in grammar) describing a clause, modifier, or other structure that identifies which specific person or thing is being referred to, rather than adding extra descriptive information — for example, the clause 'who sits next to me' in 'The student who sits next to me is from Japan'

例句

In 'The man who lives next door is a doctor', the clause is restrictive.

restrictive relative clause identifying a specific person

A restrictive relative clause tells the reader which person or thing the writer means.

同義詞
  • defining

    more common in British grammar teaching; 'a defining relative clause'

  • identifying

    focuses on the clause's function of picking out one specific referent

反義詞
  • non-restrictive

    adds extra information and is set off by commas; 'a non-restrictive relative clause'

用法筆記

This sense is used primarily in grammar instruction and linguistic analysis. The opposite term is non-restrictive — a non-restrictive clause adds extra information and is set off by commas.

常見錯誤

❌The restrictive clause gives extra information.
✅A restrictive clause tells you which one; a non-restrictive clause adds extra information.
💡The two types have opposite functions.