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

If not, there is a community of controllers around to correct you. —Literary Hub, 12 Jan. 2026

The company also offers a Lighthouse accessory, a wearable controller that enables takeoff, landing, mode switching, and recall using VirtualTether. —Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 10 Jan. 2026

Yui then asked if a flight surgeon was available and if flight controllers had a live camera view from inside the station. —William Harwood, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026

Overpayments and underpayments occur when changes to employees’ salaries or benefits occur after the payroll cutoff date, said Bismarck Obando, a spokesperson for the controller’s office, which is the custodian of the state’s payroll records. —William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 7 Jan. 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