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
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2
as in restless
lacking or denying rest
spent a restive night worrying about the next day's exam
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Recent Examples of restive
On Christmas Day in 1872, the atmosphere was restive among the forty female residents of a medical institution on the outskirts of St. Louis.
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Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2024
The tear gas deployment followed the arrival of demonstrators who had traveled 150 kilometers (93 miles) from Pakistan's restive northwest to gather near Islamabad.
—Matthew Impelli, Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2024
To force the restive plasma into submission, the geometrically simple tokamaks need additional features that increase their complexity and cost.
—IEEE Spectrum, 28 Oct. 2024
Moreover, there are fears that Sunni extremist groups in Iran’s restive southern regions, such as those populated by Arab and Baluchi groups, may be emboldened by the victory of like-minded groups in Syria, risking further unrest at a time when the government is increasingly vulnerable.
—Hamidreza Azizi, Foreign Affairs, 23 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for restive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for restive
Adjective
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Luna will meet with rebellious Uranus in a surprising trine, bringing a jolt of excitement and unexpected revelations to your love life.—
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The wildly rebellious press across Europe are a vibrant sign of its free speech.—
Adjective
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According to Owens, excellence is impossible for a restless soul.—
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Jeanne is 15, a restless adolescent among a tribe of younger children in an orphanage in the mountains where she is first seen wandering at dusk, her way lit by the snow’s reflective glitter.—
Adjective
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The shocking defeat of Bashar al-Assad’s regime by rebel groups led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham prompted a groundswell of domestic and international optimism.—
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Nearly 3,000 people were killed over the past week in fighting between a rebel group and Congolese armed forces, the U.N. estimated.—
Adjective
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That’s a defiant stance for a horror movie to take.—
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Pierce answered all of them in resounding, almost defiant, fashion.—
Adjective
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Still facing a stubborn staffing crunch, the New York City Department of Correction will require officers to work mandatory 12-hour tours in a number of city jails, a move immediately criticized by their union.—
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The financial outlook from nation’s largest retailer, which has thrived amid stubborn inflation, delivered a jolt across the retail sector.—
Cite this Entry
“Restive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/restive. Accessed 27 Feb. 2025.
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