controller

noun

con·​trol·​ler kən-ˈtrō-lər  ˈkän-ˌtrō- 

1

a

: comptroller sense 1

b

: comptroller sense 2

c

: the chief accounting officer of a business enterprise or an institution (such as a college)

2

a

: one that controls or has power or authority to control

air traffic controller

b

: control sense 3a

controllership

kən-ˈtrō-lər-ˌship 

ˈkän-ˌtrō-

noun

Synonyms of controller

• regulator
• control

Examples of controller in a Sentence

the controllers for the video game system seem fairly well designed

Recent Examples on the Web

While Starship achieved the proper orbit, zipping along at 17,500 mph, flight controllers opted to play it safe and bring it back several hours sooner, after just a couple of laps. — Arkansas Online, 29 Sep. 2026

Bringing domain controllers online before validating their integrity can restore the attacker’s persistence along with them. — Robert Bobel, Forbes.com, 29 Sep. 2026

Flight controllers can establish precise safety thresholds to reduce unnecessary launch cancellations in cloudy or light-rain conditions, minimizing costly operational delays. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 29 Sep. 2026

SpaceX After the satellites were away, SpaceX controllers opted to bring the Starship back to Earth well ahead of schedule, ending the mission three hours after launch with a Pacific Ocean splashdown north of Hawaii just before noon EDT. — William Harwood, CBS News, 28 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English countreroller, from Anglo-French contreroulur, from contreroule

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing controller

• air traffic controller
• forward air controller

Rhymes for controller

• bipolar
• comptroller
• dipolar
• gaoler
• nonpolar
• premolar
• ambipolar
• areolar
• bronchiolar
• circumpolar
• equimolar
• monopolar

Kids Definition

controller

noun

con·​trol·​ler kən-ˈtrō-lər  ˈkän-ˌtrō-lər 

1

: the chief accounting officer of a business or institution

2

: a person who controls

an air traffic controller

3

: control entry 2 sense 3a

Legal Definition

controller

noun

con·​trol·​ler kən-ˈtrō-lər, ˈkän-ˌtrō- 

: comptroller