Synonyms of restrict

restrict

verb

ri-ˈstrikt 

as in to limit

to set bounds or an upper limit for

will restrict access to the laboratory

Synonyms & Similar Words

• limit
• confine
• tighten
• hinder
• impede
• hold down
• circumscribe
• suppress
• obstruct
• cap
• block
• hamper
• modify
• narrow
• lessen
• repress
• constrict
• number
• bar
• squeeze
• quell
• qualify
• contract
• pinch

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• exceed
• expand
• broaden
• widen
• overextend
• overreach

Synonym Chooser

How is the word restrict different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of restrict are circumscribe, confine, and limit. While all these words mean "to set bounds for," restrict suggests a narrowing or tightening or restraining within or as if within an encircling boundary.

laws intended to restrict the freedom of the press

When might circumscribe be a better fit than restrict?

The words circumscribe and restrict are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, circumscribe stresses a restriction on all sides and by clearly defined boundaries.

the work of the investigating committee was carefully circumscribed

When can confine be used instead of restrict?

Although the words confine and restrict have much in common, confine suggests severe restraint and a resulting cramping, fettering, or hampering.

our choices were confined by finances

When would limit be a good substitute for restrict?

In some situations, the words limit and restrict are roughly equivalent. However, limit implies setting a point or line (as in time, space, speed, or degree) beyond which something cannot or is not permitted to go.

visits are limited to 30 minutes

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of restrict

Today, the strip of Broadway in front of Macy’s is closed to cars, and Broadway for a few blocks to the north and south of 34th Street is heavily traffic-restricted with significant space given over to café tables, bike racks, and the like. — Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 30 Sep. 2026

If the United States moves ahead with mining in open ocean areas, countries that have signed on to international laws restricting extraction, including China, India, and Russia, will likely cry foul. — Michael Albertus, Foreign Affairs, 30 Sep. 2026

From ancient times, various monastic orders have followed a more expansive form of brahmacharya, one that restricts eight types of engagement with the opposite gender. — Bhakti Mamtora, The Conversation, 30 Sep. 2026

About 1 in 10 of those falls results in an injury serious enough to restrict activity for at least a day or require medical attention. — Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 30 Sep. 2026