controlling

1 of 2

adjective

con·​trol·​ling kən-ˈtrō-liŋ 

: inclined to control others' behavior : domineering

controlling

2 of 2

present participle of control entry 1

Examples of controlling in a Sentence

Adjective

She is very strict and controlling.

The larger bank remained the controlling party when it took over the smaller banks.

He paid over 40 million dollars for a controlling interest in the company.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Other light-responsive materials that hide and reveal colours illustrate how controlling visibility could have uses beyond body art. — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2026

Rivian, still a major non-controlling shareholder, factors into that roadmap too, since its growing fleet of on-road vehicles generates the driving data Also will eventually need to train its own autonomy systems. — Lily Mae Lazarus, Fortune, 19 Aug. 2026

This has impacted every aspect of his life — sleep, eating habits and his controlling attitude toward me. — Abigail Van Buren, Boston Herald, 4 July 2026

Versant will become a minority, non-controlling investor in the company. — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 2 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1974, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing controlling

• controlling interest

Rhymes for controlling

• cajoling
• consoling
• enrolling
• extolling
• patrolling
• unrolling
• bowling
• coaling
• doling
• growling
• holing
• poling

Kids Definition

controlling

adjective

: tending to control the behavior of other people

Legal Definition

controlling

adjective

1

a

: exercising domination or influence

the controlling principles of law

b

: dispositive

judgment debtor's stipulation to pay a specified amount is not controlling

—J. H. Friedenthal et al.

2

: having controlling interest

controlling shareholders