bridle

noun

bri·dle | \ ˈbrī-dᵊl

Definition of bridle

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : the headgear with which a horse is governed and which carries a bit (see bit entry 1 sense 2a) and reins

2 : a length of line or cable attached to two parts of something (such as a ship) to spread the force of a pull especially : rigging on a kite for attaching line

3 : curb, restraint set a bridle on his power

bridle

verb

bridled; bridling\ ˈbrīd-liŋ

, ˈbrī-dᵊl-iŋ \

Definition of bridle (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to put a harness with which a horse is governed on the head of : to put a bridle (see bridle entry 1 sense 1) on bridle a horse

2 : to restrain, check, or control with or as if with a bridle bridle your tongue was forced to bridle her anger

intransitive verb

: to show hostility or resentment (as to an affront to one's pride or dignity) especially by drawing back the head and chin military commanders who had bridled against … interference — Time

Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about bridle

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Synonyms & Antonyms for bridle

Synonyms: Verb

Antonyms: Verb

lose

Choose the Right Synonym for bridle

Verb

restrain, check, curb, bridle mean to hold back from or control in doing something. restrain suggests holding back by force or persuasion from acting or from going to extremes. restrained themselves from laughing check implies restraining or impeding a progress, activity, or impetus. trying to check government spending curb suggests an abrupt or drastic checking. learn to curb your appetite bridle implies keeping under control by subduing or holding in. bridle an impulse to throw the book down

Examples of bridle in a Sentence

Verb try to bridle your criticism next time so that it is helpful and not hurtful

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun The prongs of faith and duty: two sides of a bridle. — Emily Bernard, The New Yorker, "The Purpose of a House," 25 June 2020 Activities: Golf, fishing, swimming, boating, hiking, plus 70 miles of bridle trails and a horse camp. — Susan Glaser, cleveland, "Exploring Salt Fork State Park: boating, fishing, hiking and Bigfoot, two hours from Cleveland," 7 June 2020 Mount Airy Forest Mount Airy Forest can be accessed from Mount Airy and Westwood and the park's 1,459 acres include miles of hiking trails, bridle trails. — Sarah Brookbank, Cincinnati.com, "Take a hike: 10 places to get outside in Greater Cincinnati," 24 Apr. 2020 Roszak especially recommends bridle trails, which are underused by feet and hooves alike. — Grant Segall, cleveland, "Cleveland Metroparks close sites to keep others open during coronavirus pandemic," 2 Apr. 2020 But just a five-minute drive from downtown Ojai, the neighborhoods open up, and areas including East End, Persimmon Hill and Saddle Mountain Estates offer bridle trails, valley views and ample land. — Debra Kamin, New York Times, "Ojai, Calif.: A Valley of Wellness (but No Chain Stores) in Ventura County," 3 Mar. 2020 The horse was supposed to arrive at 2:20 p.m. but did not arrive until 2:34 p.m. Castanada said his groom had a difficult time putting a bridle on the 8-year-old gelding. — Los Angeles Times, "Racing! Another round of stewards’ rulings," 21 Oct. 2019 Owners of cross-country skis can use hiking and bridle trails, as well as unplowed sections of all-purpose trails, regardless of snowpack. — cleveland, "Defeat the winter doldrums with Cleveland Metroparks’ recreational activities," 11 Dec. 2019 But when asked about the importance of such intellectual freedoms, Mr Ren bridles. — The Economist, "Huawei’s founder, Ren Zhengfei, defends Deng Xiaoping’s Chinese model," 12 Sep. 2019 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Wild horses might drag the people of China away from their tyrannical government, but rather than shoot the horses in true Soviet style, the CCP has decided to break and bridle them instead. — Cameron Hilditch, National Review, "China’s Communist Christ," 1 Oct. 2020 For weeks, neither did many Italians, who alternately obeyed and bridled at the restrictions imposed on them. — Jason Horowitz, New York Times, "For Italians, Dodging Coronavirus Has Become a Game of Chance," 11 Mar. 2020 Trump has bridled at findings that Russia mounted a massive effort to attack his 2016 Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, and by doing so boost his candidacy. — Alan Levin, Bloomberg.com, "Trump Aide ‘Concerned’ Russia May Be Trying to Undermine Biden," 12 Jan. 2020 Companies with a lot of independent contractors on their books have bridled, in some cases preposterously. — Nathan Heller, The New Yorker, "A New California Law Takes Aim at Uber and Lyft," 12 Sep. 2019 The smooth, adult bent of Nashville continued into the '60s, sparking another rebellion among a loose crew of musicians who bridled at the restrictions imposed on them. — Randy Lewis, chicagotribune.com, "In 2019, country music has a raging identity crisis. For Ken Burns, that’s a 100-year-old story," 9 Sep. 2019 The smooth, adult bent of Nashville continued into the ’60s, sparking another rebellion among a loose crew of musicians who bridled at the restrictions imposed on them. — Los Angeles Times, "In 2019, country music has a raging identity crisis. For Ken Burns, that’s a 100-year-old story," 4 Sep. 2019 This is Freud’s world before anyone thought to view themselves in Freudian terms—a time, judging from Alma’s account, of unbridled passion for culture and occasionally bridled physical passion. — Cathleen Schine, The New York Review of Books, "It Had to Be Her," 7 Jan. 2020 Many companies bridle at being held responsible for being the victims of crime or acts of war. — The Economist, "The Exxon Valdez of cyberspace," 8 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bridle.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.