restrict
B2neutral
Definition
Meaning
To limit or control the size, amount, or range of something.
To impose restrictions on activities, access, or rights; often used in legal, social, or technical contexts to denote controlled boundaries.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Implies deliberate action to set boundaries, typically by an authority. Contrast with 'limit' (more general) and 'prohibit' (stronger, implying complete ban).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage.
Connotations
Neutral in both varieties, with no additional cultural connotations.
Frequency
Equally common in British and American English based on standard corpora.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
restrict somethingrestrict someone to somethingrestrict something from somethingVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “restrict oneself to something”
- “be restricted to a minimum”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Firms may restrict expenditure to improve profitability.
Academic
Studies often restrict variables to control for confounding factors.
Everyday
Parents might restrict screen time for children.
Technical
Systems can restrict bandwidth to optimize network performance.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The council plans to restrict parking in the city centre.
- Entry is restricted to members only.
American English
- The policy will restrict data sharing with third parties.
- Laws restrict the sale of alcohol to minors.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Please restrict noise after 9 PM.
- The zoo restricts feeding the animals.
- The school restricts mobile phone use in classrooms.
- Doctors restrict salt intake for heart patients.
- International agreements restrict carbon emissions to combat climate change.
- The software restricts access based on user roles.
- Ethical guidelines restrict experimentation on human subjects without consent.
- Trade policies restrict imports to protect domestic industries.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'strict' in restrict – being strict involves setting and enforcing limits.
Conceptual Metaphor
RESTRICTION IS A BARRIER or CONTAINMENT, where limits act as physical or abstract boundaries.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation of 'ограничивать' in all contexts; 'restrict' is often used for imposed limits, while 'limit' may be more general.
- Do not confuse with 'restrain', which implies physical holding back.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'restrict' without an object (e.g., 'The rule restricts.' should be 'The rule restricts behaviour.').
- Overusing 'restrict' where 'limit' is more natural in casual speech.
Practice
Quiz
Which word is a close antonym of 'restrict'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it can be neutral; for example, restricting access for safety reasons is often positive.
No, it is typically transitive and requires an object; intransitive use is rare and non-standard.
'Restrict' often implies external limits set by rules, while 'constrain' can involve internal or situational pressures.
Yes, 'restriction' is the common noun form, meaning a limiting condition or rule.