This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn more

Restive synonyms

Sorting by
Votes
unsettled
Likely to change or vary; variable:
0
0
  1. Likely to change or vary; variable:
  2. Uninhabited or not occupied by settlers:
  3. Not determined or resolved:
impatient
Restively eager or desirous; anxious:
0
0
  1. Restively eager or desirous; anxious:
  2. Unable to wait patiently or tolerate delay; restless.
  3. Feeling or showing a lack of patience
fidgety
Tending to fidget.
0
0
  1. Tending to fidget.
  2. Creating unnecessary fuss.
  3. Having, or pertaining to, a tendency to fidget.
balky
In the habit of balking; stubbornly resisting
0
0
  1. In the habit of balking; stubbornly resisting
  2. Difficult to operate or start:
  3. Given to stopping and refusing to go on:
unruly
Hard to control, restrain, or keep in order; disobedient, disorderly, etc.
0
0
  1. Hard to control, restrain, or keep in order; disobedient, disorderly, etc.
  2. Difficult or impossible to discipline, control, or rule:
  3. Difficult to keep in place or in order:
refractory
Having a high melting point. Ceramics that are made from clay and minerals are often refractory, as are metal oxides and carbides. Refractory materials are often used as liners in furnaces.
0
0
  1. Having a high melting point. Ceramics that are made from clay and minerals are often refractory, as are metal oxides and carbides. Refractory materials are often used as liners in furnaces.
  2. Resistant to treatment:
  3. Difficult to melt or work; resistant to heat:
stubborn
Done or carried on in an obstinate or doggedly persistent manner
0
0
  1. Done or carried on in an obstinate or doggedly persistent manner
  2. Characterized by a refusal to change one's mind or course of action; dogged or persistent:
  3. Difficult to treat or deal with; resistant to treatment or effort:
edgy
Daring, provocative, or trend-setting:
0
0
  1. Daring, provocative, or trend-setting:
  2. (Informal) Innovative, daring, unconventional, etc.
  3. Nervous or irritable:
fidgety
Having, or pertaining to, a tendency to fidget.
0
0
  1. Having, or pertaining to, a tendency to fidget.
  2. Creating unnecessary fuss.
  3. Nervous; uneasy
jittery
Nervy, jumpy, on edge
0
0
  1. Nervy, jumpy, on edge
  2. Marked by jittering movements:
  3. Having or feeling nervous unease:
jumpy
Moving in jumps, jerks, or abrupt variations
0
0
  1. Moving in jumps, jerks, or abrupt variations
  2. Characterized by fitful, jerky movements.
  3. Nervous or apprehensive
nervous
Characterized by or having a disordered state of the nerves
0
0
  1. Characterized by or having a disordered state of the nerves
  2. Of the nerves
  3. Marked by or having a feeling of unease or apprehension:
restless
Seeking change; discontented
0
0
  1. Seeking change; discontented
  2. Not satisfied to be at rest or in peace; averse to repose; eager for change; discontented.
  3. Without rest; unable to be still or quiet; uneasy; continually moving.
skittish
Easily scared or startled; timid.
0
0
  1. Easily scared or startled; timid.
  2. Moving quickly and lightly; lively.
  3. Restlessly active or nervous; restive.
tense
(Linguistics) Enunciated with taut muscles, as the sound (ē) in keen.
0
0
  1. (Linguistics) Enunciated with taut muscles, as the sound (ē) in keen.
  2. In a state of nervous tension or mental strain:
  3. Causing or characterized by nervous tension or mental strain:
twitchy
(Figuratively) irritable, cranky
0
0
  1. (Figuratively) irritable, cranky
  2. Characterized by jerky or spasmodic motion:
  3. (Informal) Nervous; jittery
uptight
Rigidly conventional, as in manners, opinions, and tastes:
0
0
  1. Rigidly conventional, as in manners, opinions, and tastes:
  2. Tense; nervous:
  3. Very tense, nervous, anxious, etc.
Find another word for restive. In this page you can discover 24 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for restive, like: unsettled, impatient, fidgety, balky, unruly, refractory, stubborn, restless, contrary, obstinate and edgy.

Sentence Examples

  • As often happens, the horses of a convoy wagon became restive at the end of the bridge, and the whole crowd had to wait.

  • He gave an angry thrust to his horse, which had grown restive under him, and plunged into the water, heading for the deepest part where the current was swift.

  • Under this arrangement British Columbia became exceedingly restive, holding the Dominion to the engagement by which it had been induced to enter the union.

  • For everywhere the Slav populations were growing restive under the German-Magyar domination.

  • Rostov's horse was also getting restive: it pawed the frozen ground, pricking its ears at the noise and looking at the lights.

More sentences →

Words that mention restive in the Dictionary

Words near restive in the Thesaurus