prevent (information) from being circulated or disclosed
"The government imposed strict measures to restrict information about the disaster from being circulated online."
To restrain within boundaries; to limit; to confine
"The new regulations restrict vehicle access to the historic district during peak tourist hours."
In plain English: To restrict something means to limit it so that less of it can happen, be used, or go somewhere than before.
"The new rules restrict how much water you can use during the drought."
Usage: Use restrict when you want to emphasize limiting something strictly within specific limits or rules, often implying that going beyond these bounds is not allowed. Unlike similar words like constrain, which suggests external pressure forcing a limitation, restrict focuses on the act of setting firm boundaries yourself.
Restricted.
"The sign warned that access to the area was strictly restricted to authorized personnel only."
The word "restrict" comes from the Latin restringere, which originally meant to draw something back tightly or press it down firmly. It entered English with this core sense of holding things in check by applying pressure.