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restive

restive

6 8.3
Not able to stay still because you feel impatient or nervous
  • adjective
  • /ˈrɛstɪv/
translation icon : inquieto
  • When they became restive, they found themselves locked in a philosophical cage of prejudices and rigid standards.
  • increasingly restive
  • become restive
  • grow restive

When they became restive, they found themselves locked in a philosophical cage of prejudices and rigid standards.

Examples

  • During the long meeting, many attendees grew restive and started shifting in their seats.

  • The common people of our country are war-weary, restive!

  • In Moses' prolonged absence, the people grew restive and frightened, and the men planned for war.

    Academic text (1995)
  • "My mother's eyes grew restive, flitting fearfully around the room."

    Fiction book (1997)
  • Additionally, the new government will undertake the difficult task of reining in the increasingly restive republics of the federation.

    Academic text (1999)
  • How will Macedonia accommodate its restive ethnic Albanian minority and move beyond the province's current cold peace?

    Academic text (2002)
  • Poor morale and dissatisfaction with commanders sometimes made soldiers more restive and unwilling to follow tradition blindly.

    Academic text (2010)
  • The children became restive after waiting in line for so long.

  • As the performance dragged on, the audience became increasingly restive and began to whisper.

Synonyms

restless
vsrestive
110 3.0

Not able to relax and stay still because of worry or boredom

shows similar movement but is driven more by impatience or dissatisfaction
impatient
vsrestive
97 2.8

Quickly annoyed when having to wait

shares impatience but adds visible inability to stay still or silent
uptight
vsrestive
  • Informal
77 5.0

Nervous and tense so you cannot relax

matches the tension but implies more physical restlessness and impatience
jumpy
vsrestive
  • Informal
54 4.3

Feeling nervous and easily startled by sudden sounds

is similar but stresses continual restlessness rather than sudden starts
edgy
vsrestive
41 5.2

Feeling nervous and tense, easily upset

is similar but focuses more on moving or vocal restlessness
jittery
vsrestive
26 4.5

Feeling nervous and unable to stay still

shares quick movement but is more about impatience or dissatisfaction
high-strung
vsrestive
12 7.2

Being very nervous and easily upset

is comparable but emphasizes outward restlessness caused by impatience
unquiet
vsrestive
2 7.9

Not calm or peaceful, often restless because of worry

shows the same unrest but more as outward restlessness and movement
highly strung
vsrestive
1 7.4

Someone who is very nervous and easily upset

matches the tension but usually involves more visible restless behaviour
nervy
vsrestive
1 6.5

Feeling worried and tense before a difficult event

is alike in unease but adds active inability to stay still or silent
overstrung
vsrestive
8.2

Feeling very nervous and tense because of worry

shares high tension but is less about active movement and impatience

Antonyms

735 1.0

Not showing strong feelings and being very still

1 4.3

Calm and in control of your feelings during stress

How Restless

agitated
49 4.1
restive
6 8.3
uneasy
98 3.2

Surface Forms

restive positive
restiver comparative
restivest superlative

Morphology

restive = rest (opaque) = rest + ive

Although formed from 'rest' + the adjectival suffix '-ive', the modern meaning ('uneasy, resistant to control') is not derivable as 'inclined to rest' and has shifted from older senses.

Etymology

Restive comes from an old word like rest that meant 'to remain' or 'to stay'. It first described an animal that would 'stay' and refuse to move, and that picture helps explain why restive now means being unable to stay still because of impatience or worry.