Word
restrict
Phoneticsre·strict, stress on the second syllable
US/ɹiˈstɹɪkt/
UK/ɹɪstɹˈɪkt/
Definitions
01to limit or control
B2 · Upper Intermediate Academic
v. to limit someone's actions or to keep something within a certain size or amount.
v. to keep someone or something within specific limits or boundaries. Transitive — requires a direct object.
日本語:制限する※
“The new laws restrict how much noise people can make late at night.”
“The government decided to restrict the flow of capital out of the country to stabilise the national currency during the crisis.”
Pitfall
The law restricts people from smoking.
The law restricts smoking.
While 'prevent' or 'stop' use the 'from' pattern, 'restrict' usually takes the activity itself as a direct object or uses 'restrict someone to something'.
02to limit to a specific area
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to keep someone or something inside a particular place or group.
v. to confine or keep within a specific physical or metaphorical boundary; often used with the preposition 'to'.
日本語:限定する※
“Access to the building is restricted to staff members only.”
“The search for the missing documents was restricted to the archives, as the investigators believed they had never left the premises.”
Antonyms
03mathematical domain
C1 · Advanced Mathematics Technical
v. to look at a mathematical rule only for a smaller group of numbers.
v. to consider a function as defined only on a subset of its original domain.
日本語:制限する※
“If we restrict the function to positive numbers, we can find the square root easily.”
“By restricting the domain of the trigonometric function, we can define a unique inverse that satisfies the requirements of the proof.”
Usage
The verb is used transitively, often in the form 'restrict f to A'.
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “restrict” in context.
Verb
01. largely restrict
“The new regulations largely restrict the use of plastic packaging in supermarkets.”
adv + verb
02. restrict analysis
“The researchers decided to restrict analysis to the data collected during the first phase.”
verb + noun
03. restrict to
“Please restrict your comments to the topic currently under discussion.”
verb + prep
Real-World Examples
“Como is not the first Italian city to restrict bicycles in historic or busy parts.” “Those standards are now being upended, as South Carolina recently became the first state to officially restrict no-zero grading policies.” Etymology
Borrowed from Latin restrictus, perfect passive participle of restringō (“draw back tightly; restrain, restrict”), from re- (“back, again”) + stringō (“press, tighten, compress”). Doublet of ristretto as an adjective.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/restrict
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0