Master confusing words with ease
Restive vs. Restless
Restive
/ˈrɛstɪv/Examples:
The horse grew restive under the rider's tight grip.A restive crowd gathered outside the locked auditorium doors.His restive nature led him to wander from job to job.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
Restless
/ˈrestləs/Examples:
She paced the room, feeling entirely restless.His restless nature led him to travel the world.After the long flight, she was too restless to sleep.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
Ways to tell them apart:
- Restive originates from the idea of something being stubborn or refusing to go forward, like a horse that resists control.
- Meanwhile, restless is more generic and widely used to describe the inability to stay still or settle due to anxiety or boredom.
- Remember restive with resist, as both share the notion of defiance or unease related to constraint.
- Oddly enough, restive can sometimes imply being restless, but it's often tied to constraint and dissatisfaction.
- Use restless when describing a more physical or emotional state of constant activity or unease without specific resistance.
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