restive

adjective

res·tive ˈre-stiv How to pronounce restive (audio)

: stubbornly resisting control : balky

: marked by impatience or uneasiness : fidgety

restively adverb

restiveness noun

Did you know?

Restive ultimately comes from the Anglo-French word rester, meaning "to stop, resist, or remain." In its earliest use, restive meant "sluggish" or "inactive," though this sense is no longer in use. Another early sense was "stubborn, obstinate." Specifically, restive often referred to horses that refused to do as commanded. This general application to unruly horses may have influenced the development of the "fidgety, impatient" sense of restive. Some usage commentators have objected to this newer sense, but it has been in use for well over a century, and is now the more common of the uses.

Example Sentences

the restive horse threw its head and refused to move when the rider urged it forward spent a restive night worrying about the next day's exam

Recent Examples on the Web The issue was contentious, with restive activists disrupting at least one meeting beforehand, leading Paduchik to impose stricter rules for public access to the meetings.

Andrew J. Tobias, cleveland, 29 Aug. 2022 In one of the low points of his tenure, Gorbachev sanctioned a crackdown on the restive Baltic republics in early 1991.

The Salt Lake Tribune, 30 Aug. 2022 In one of the low points of his tenure, Gorbachev sanctioned a crackdown on the restive Baltic republics in early 1991.

Jim Heintz, BostonGlobe.com, 30 Aug. 2022 In one of the low points of his tenure, Gorbachev sanctioned a crackdown on the restive Baltic republics in early 1991.

Chicago Tribune, 30 Aug. 2022 In one of the low points of his tenure, Gorbachev sanctioned a crackdown on the restive Baltic republics in early 1991.

Jim Heintz, ajc, 30 Aug. 2022 After the insurgency ended—Russian secret services directed restive elements to the civil war in Syria, where many were killed—Dagestani élites have been at pains to demonstrate their loyalty whenever possible.

Keith Gessen, The New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2022 Some of the most closely monitored employees in the country have become some of the most restive — warehouse workers attempting to unionize, truckers forming protest convoys.

New York Times, 14 Aug. 2022 But these people used to multibillion-dollar sales and IPOs see a big opportunity in the atomized, restive condition of America’s workforce and the possibility of transforming it through a new era of unionization.

Sam Deanstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2022 See More

restive

adjective

as in rebellious

given to resisting authority or another's control the restive horse threw its head and refused to move when the rider urged it forward

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

rebellious
rebel
defiant
stubborn
unruly
obstreperous
willful
recalcitrant
ungovernable
wayward
intractable
disobedient
mischievous
rigid
dogged
balky
contrary
contumacious
insubordinate
refractory
dissident
naughty
recusant
adamant
insurgent
wild
fractious
mutinous
froward
uncontrollable
wilful
uncooperative
incompliant
monkeying
obstinate
untoward
resistant
rude
peevish
obdurate
headstrong
bad
implacable
unmanageable
opinionated
negativistic
unrelenting
unbending
pertinacious
mulish
uncompromising
unyielding
undisciplined
noncooperative
pigheaded
inflexible
immovable
disorderly
ornery
hardheaded
insolent
misbehaving
impudent
adamantine
wrongheaded
self-willed
uncouth
perverse
errant
disrespectful
uncivil
nonconformist
inconsiderate
ungracious
unmannerly
discourteous
impertinent
impolite
ill-mannered
ill-natured
ill-bred
monkeyish

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

docile
obedient
tractable
amiable
submissive
acquiescent
compliant
biddable
cooperative
agreeable
deferential
obliging
amenable
conformable
disciplined
yielding
behaved
respectful
polite
ruly
servile
obsequious
subservient
courteous
governable
orderly
decorous
slavish
well-bred
proper
controllable
manageable
mannerly
kowtowing
trainable

as in restless

lacking or denying rest spent a restive night worrying about the next day's exam

Synonyms & Similar Words

restless
troubled
unquiet
uneasy
unrestful
agitated
anxious
disturbed
unsettled
perturbed
fidgety
distressed
upset
worried
tense
uptight
nervous
jumpy
jittery
edgy
dithery
hung up
aflutter
nervy
het up

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

quiet
calm
peaceful
restful
easy
tranquil
relaxing

Synonym Chooser

Some common synonyms of restive are balky, contrary, perverse, and wayward. While all these words mean "inclined to resist authority or control," restive suggests unwillingness or inability to submit to discipline or follow orders.

tired soldiers growing restive

The synonyms balky and restive are sometimes interchangeable, but balky suggests a refusing to proceed in a desired direction or course of action.

a balky witness

Although the words contrary and restive have much in common, contrary implies a temperamental unwillingness to accept orders or advice.

a contrary child

In some situations, the words perverse and restive are roughly equivalent. However, perverse may imply wrongheaded, determined, or cranky opposition to what is reasonable or normal.

a perverse, intractable critic

While the synonyms wayward and restive are close in meaning, wayward suggests strong-willed capriciousness and irregularity in behavior.

a school for wayward youths

单词	restive
释义	restive adjective res·tive ˈre-stiv 1 : stubbornly resisting control : balky 2 : marked by impatience or uneasiness : fidgety restively adverb restiveness noun Did you know? Restive ultimately comes from the Anglo-French word rester, meaning "to stop, resist, or remain." In its earliest use, restive meant "sluggish" or "inactive," though this sense is no longer in use. Another early sense was "stubborn, obstinate." Specifically, restive often referred to horses that refused to do as commanded. This general application to unruly horses may have influenced the development of the "fidgety, impatient" sense of restive. Some usage commentators have objected to this newer sense, but it has been in use for well over a century, and is now the more common of the uses. Synonyms balky contrary contumacious defiant disobedient froward incompliant insubordinate intractable obstreperous rebel rebellious recalcitrant recusant refractory ungovernable unruly untoward wayward willful wilful See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences the restive horse threw its head and refused to move when the rider urged it forward spent a restive night worrying about the next day's exam Recent Examples on the Web The issue was contentious, with restive activists disrupting at least one meeting beforehand, leading Paduchik to impose stricter rules for public access to the meetings. Andrew J. Tobias, cleveland, 29 Aug. 2022 In one of the low points of his tenure, Gorbachev sanctioned a crackdown on the restive Baltic republics in early 1991. The Salt Lake Tribune, 30 Aug. 2022 In one of the low points of his tenure, Gorbachev sanctioned a crackdown on the restive Baltic republics in early 1991. Jim Heintz, BostonGlobe.com, 30 Aug. 2022 In one of the low points of his tenure, Gorbachev sanctioned a crackdown on the restive Baltic republics in early 1991. Chicago Tribune, 30 Aug. 2022 In one of the low points of his tenure, Gorbachev sanctioned a crackdown on the restive Baltic republics in early 1991. Jim Heintz, ajc, 30 Aug. 2022 After the insurgency ended—Russian secret services directed restive elements to the civil war in Syria, where many were killed—Dagestani élites have been at pains to demonstrate their loyalty whenever possible. Keith Gessen, The New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2022 Some of the most closely monitored employees in the country have become some of the most restive — warehouse workers attempting to unionize, truckers forming protest convoys. New York Times, 14 Aug. 2022 But these people used to multibillion-dollar sales and IPOs see a big opportunity in the atomized, restive condition of America’s workforce and the possibility of transforming it through a new era of unionization. Sam Deanstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2022 See More Word History Etymology Middle English restyf, from Anglo-French restif, from rester to stop, resist, remain First Known Use 15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Kids Definition restive adjective res·tive ˈre-stiv : showing impatience, nervousness, or discomfort a restive crowd restive adjective 1 as in rebellious given to resisting authority or another's control the restive horse threw its head and refused to move when the rider urged it forward Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance rebellious rebel defiant stubborn unruly obstreperous willful recalcitrant ungovernable wayward intractable disobedient mischievous rigid dogged balky contrary contumacious insubordinate refractory dissident naughty recusant adamant insurgent wild fractious mutinous froward uncontrollable wilful uncooperative incompliant monkeying obstinate untoward resistant rude peevish obdurate headstrong bad implacable unmanageable opinionated negativistic unrelenting unbending pertinacious mulish uncompromising unyielding undisciplined noncooperative pigheaded inflexible immovable disorderly ornery hardheaded insolent misbehaving impudent adamantine wrongheaded self-willed uncouth perverse errant disrespectful uncivil nonconformist inconsiderate ungracious unmannerly discourteous impertinent impolite ill-mannered ill-natured ill-bred monkeyish Antonyms & Near Antonyms docile obedient tractable amiable submissive acquiescent compliant biddable cooperative agreeable deferential obliging amenable conformable disciplined yielding behaved respectful polite ruly servile obsequious subservient courteous governable orderly decorous slavish well-bred proper controllable manageable mannerly kowtowing trainable See More 2 as in restless lacking or denying rest spent a restive night worrying about the next day's exam Synonyms & Similar Words restless troubled unquiet uneasy unrestful agitated anxious disturbed unsettled perturbed fidgety distressed upset worried tense uptight nervous jumpy jittery edgy dithery hung up aflutter nervy het up Antonyms & Near Antonyms quiet calm peaceful restful easy tranquil relaxing See More Synonym Chooser Some common synonyms of restive are balky, contrary, perverse, and wayward. While all these words mean "inclined to resist authority or control," restive suggests unwillingness or inability to submit to discipline or follow orders. tired soldiers growing restive The synonyms balky and restive are sometimes interchangeable, but balky suggests a refusing to proceed in a desired direction or course of action. a balky witness Although the words contrary and restive have much in common, contrary implies a temperamental unwillingness to accept orders or advice. a contrary child In some situations, the words perverse and restive are roughly equivalent. However, perverse may imply wrongheaded, determined, or cranky opposition to what is reasonable or normal. a perverse, intractable critic While the synonyms wayward and restive are close in meaning, wayward suggests strong-willed capriciousness and irregularity in behavior. a school for wayward youths
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restive

adjective

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Kids Definition

adjective

adjective

Synonym Chooser