RESTIVE Synonyms: 149 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'restive' contrast with its synonyms?

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

Q: When would 'balky' be a good substitute for '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

Q: When can 'contrary' be used instead of 'restive'?

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

Q: When is 'perverse' a more appropriate choice than 'restive'?

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

Q: When could 'wayward' be used to replace 'restive'?

While the synonyms wayward and restive are close in meaning, wayward suggests strong-willed capriciousness and irregularity in behavior. // a school for wayward youths

restive

adjective

ˈre-stiv

Definition of restive next

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in restless

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective restive contrast with its synonyms?

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

When would balky be a good substitute for 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

When can contrary be used instead of restive?

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

a contrary child

When is perverse a more appropriate choice than restive?

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

When could wayward be used to replace restive?

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

a school for wayward youths

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of restive In recent years, Chinese prosecutors have leveled the charge against Uyghurs, a minority group in the restive far western region of Xinjiang. —

Bloomberg News, TIME, 6 Sep. 2024 Fears of a populist resurgence are rippling across Europe — from Italy, where a right-wing prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, will play host at the Group of 7 meeting, to France and Germany, where leaders are facing rising discontent and restive challengers on the right. —

Mark Landler, New York Times, 2 June 2024 In recent weeks, Beijing has confronted an increasingly restive population, including the most widespread antigovernment protests the country has witnessed in decades. —

Arvind Subramanian, Foreign Affairs, 9 Dec. 2022 Catch up quick: China spearheaded a previous wave of AI development focused on image recognition and computer vision — technology that the government put to repressive use in the restive Xinjiang region. —

Scott Rosenberg, Axios, 19 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for restive

Recent Examples of Synonyms for restive

Adjective

The current state of his ’stache, more tweezed than Hughes’s rebellious bushy caterpillar, is owed to that role.

Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 19 Nov. 2024
Tired of the toxic culture within the group, Veronica teams up with her rebellious new boyfriend, J.D. (played by Christian Slater), and things quickly spiral out of control as their plot to take down the Heathers turns deadly.

Jane LaCroix, People.com, 2 Nov. 2024