control

verb

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con·trol | \ kən-ˈtrōl

controlled; controlling

Definition of control

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1a : to exercise restraining or directing influence over : regulate control one's anger

b : to have power over : rule A single company controls the industry.

c : to reduce the incidence or severity of especially to innocuous levels control an insect population control a disease

2a : to incorporate suitable controls in a controlled test — see also controlled experiment

b archaic : to check, test, or verify by evidence or experiments

intransitive verb

: to incorporate controls in an experiment or study —used with for control for socioeconomic differences

control

noun, often attributive

Definition of control (Entry 2 of 2)

1a : an act or instance of controlling also : power or authority to guide or manage He took control of the family business.

b : skill in the use of a tool, instrument, technique, or artistic medium a singer's control of her voice

c : the regulation of economic activity especially by government directive —usually used in plural price controlsrent controls

d : the ability of a baseball pitcher to control the location of a pitch within the strike zone

2 : restraint, reserve exercised control of his passions

3 : one that controls: such as

a : a device or mechanism used to regulate or guide the operation of a machine, apparatus, or system the controls of the aircraft

b : an organization that directs a spaceflight mission control

c(1) : control experiment

(2) : one (such as an organism, culture, or group) that is part of a control experiment and is used as a standard of comparison … the residents in the experimental group also seemed to have a lower rate of mortality when compared with controls …— Ellen J. Langer and Jerry Avorn —often used before another noun Because patients sometimes get better or worse on their own, drug tests also need a control group to compare the new drug with standard treatment or a placebo.— Marilyn Chase

d : a personality or spirit believed to actuate the utterances or performances of a spiritualist medium

4 or less commonly Control : control key

Other Words from control Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about control

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Other Words from control

Verb

controllability \ kən-ˌtrō-lə-ˈbi-lə-tē

\ noun

controllable \ kən-ˈtrō-lə-bəl

\ adjective

controlment \ kən-ˈtrōl-mənt

\ noun

Synonyms & Antonyms for control

Synonyms: Verb

Synonyms: Noun

Antonyms: Verb

lose

Choose the Right Synonym for control

Verb

conduct, manage, control, direct mean to use one's powers to lead, guide, or dominate. conduct implies taking responsibility for the acts and achievements of a group. conducted negotiations manage implies direct handling and manipulating or maneuvering toward a desired result. manages a meat market control implies a regulating or restraining in order to keep within bounds or on a course. controlling his appetite direct implies constant guiding and regulating so as to achieve smooth operation. directs the store's day-to-day business

Noun

power, authority, jurisdiction, control, command, sway, dominion mean the right to govern or rule or determine. power implies possession of ability to wield force, authority, or influence. the power to mold public opinion authority implies power for a specific purpose within specified limits. granted the authority to manage her estate jurisdiction applies to official power exercised within prescribed limits. the bureau having jurisdiction over parks control stresses the power to direct and restrain. you are responsible for the students under your control command implies the power to make arbitrary decisions and compel obedience. the army officer in command sway suggests the extent of exercised power or influence. the empire extended its sway over the region dominion stresses sovereign power or supreme authority. given dominion over all the animals

Examples of control in a Sentence

Verb The parents could not control their child. The police controlled the crowd. The small boy could not control the big dog. Her family controls the business. One country controls the whole island. The rebel army now controls nearly half the country. The lights on stage are controlled by this computer. She struggled to control the cart as it rolled before her down the steep, bumpy road. He controlled the volume by turning the radio's knob. A thermostat controls the room's temperature. Noun The city wanted local control of education. The tribes fought for control over the territory. He took control of the family farm. She hired an accountant to take control of her money. He lost all muscle control in his left arm. The soccer player showed good control of the ball. a teacher with good control of her students The farmer used an organic pest control on his crops. To cut down on competition, the government passed price controls on prescription drugs. The President wants stricter controls on immigration.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Chief among them was a problem for some users that resulted in the new toggle to control App Tracking Transparency being grayed out. — Jacob Siegal, BGR, "iOS 14.5.1 now available to download with fix for app tracking bug," 3 May 2021 The primary way to control weeds is to eliminate the conditions that allow weeds to thrive. — Howard Garrett, Dallas News, "The softer, smarter approach to weed control," 3 May 2021 Oktoberfest was canceled last year due to the pandemic, and this year's event could still be in jeopardy as European countries battle to control a third wave of coronavirus. — Rob Picheta, CNN, "Munich reassures Germans that Oktoberfest won't be moving to Dubai," 2 May 2021 The vaccine program is designed to help the United States achieve herd immunity to control and eradicate the virus in order to minimize hospitalizations and deaths. — Bill Glauber, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Ron Johnson said vaccine distribution should have been limited 'to the vulnerable'," 23 Apr. 2021 The companies also face scrutiny about how hate speech and other noxious online material can spill into the offline world, leading to calls to better control content. — New York Times, "A Global Tipping Point for Reining In Tech Has Arrived," 20 Apr. 2021 Use a mister to precisely control where and how much water is dispersed. — Beth Segal, cleveland, "Microgreen magic: The triumph of the indoor farmer," 15 Apr. 2021 In each place, the intention is to build an audience that includes at least a quarter of the state’s voters, the March solicitation explains, giving the project political sway in the places that matter most to control of Washington. — Isaac Stanley-becker, Anchorage Daily News, "Inside a stealth ‘persuasion machine’ promising Republican victories in 2022," 4 Apr. 2021 The Spanish empire rewarded him with an encomienda over what is now Guatemala, entitling Castillo to control of all non-Christian labour. — The Economist, "The influence of Central American dynasties is ebbing," 31 Mar. 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Myanmar’s junta has shut down national Internet and mobile service frequently since the military seized control in a coup on Feb. 1. — Eamon Barrett, Fortune, "‘Strategic rival’ or ‘paper dragon’? China is both," 4 May 2021 Those jobs include computer numerical control machinists, welders and maintenance technicians and often require training, licensing or certification. — Matt Egan, CNN, "American factories are desperate for workers. It's a $1 trillion problem," 4 May 2021 The British attempted to tighten control over the colonies’ trade, beginning with the Sugar Act of 1764. — BostonGlobe.com, "What is Rhode Island Independence Day?," 4 May 2021 China’s recent behavior shows private enterprise is all too compatible with domestic control and international aggression. — Kevin O’connell & Alexander William Salter, National Review, "Great Power Competition in the Final Frontier: How to Keep the Peace in Space," 4 May 2021 The data comes as narrow Democratic control of Congress and the White House has ushered in hopes among advocates for new policies intended to curb gun violence in the United States. — Washington Post, "Gun injuries put over a half-million people in hospitals from 2000 to 2016, study finds," 4 May 2021 One option is to have all new members assigned to the crowd control Rapid Response Team for their first two years, the assistant chief wrote. — oregonlive, "City-hired consultants blast Portland police analysis of bureau’s handling of mass protests as ‘tone deaf’," 4 May 2021 Good luck trying to discern a link between a state’s voting rules, partisan control and minority turnout. — The Editorial Board, WSJ, "What Was That About Voter Suppression?," 3 May 2021 For experimental integrity, a classic Italian hoagie from Wawa, the convenience chain popular in the Philadelphia area, served as the control. — Zach Helfand, The New Yorker, "First GameStop, Now a Jersey Delicatessen," 3 May 2021

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

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Last Updated

6 May 2021

Cite this Entry

“Control.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/control. Accessed 12 May. 2021.

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More Definitions for control

control

verb

English Language Learners Definition of control

(Entry 1 of 2)

: to direct the behavior of (a person or animal) : to cause (a person or animal) to do what you want

: to have power over (something)

: to direct the actions or function of (something) : to cause (something) to act or function in a certain way

control

noun

English Language Learners Definition of control (Entry 2 of 2)

: the power to make decisions about how something is managed or done

: the ability to direct the actions of someone or something

: an action, method, or law that limits the amount or growth of something

See the full definition for control in the English Language Learners Dictionary

control

verb

con·trol | \ kən-ˈtrōl

controlled; controlling

Kids Definition of control

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : to have power over "Ah, gods, plural, as in, great beings that control the forces of nature and human endeavors…"— Rick Riordan, The Lightning Thief

2 : to direct the actions or behavior of Police can control a crowd.

3 : to keep within bounds : restrain Learn to control your temper.

4 : to direct the function of How do you control this machine?

control

noun

Kids Definition of control (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : the power or authority to manage The city wanted local control of education.

2 : ability to keep within bounds or direct the operation of The fire is out of control. He lost control of the car.

3 : self-restraint I lost control and started yelling.

4 : regulation sense 2 price controls

5 : a device used to start, stop, or change the operation of a machine or system a radio control

6 : something that is not treated or exposed to testing in an experiment in order to serve as a comparison to others that have undergone treatment or exposure

control

verb

con·trol | \ kən-ˈtrōl

controlled; controlling

Medical Definition of control

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to incorporate suitable controls in a controlled experiment

2 : to reduce the incidence or severity of especially to innocuous levels control an insect population a vaccine for controlling outbreaks of cholera

intransitive verb

: to incorporate controls in an experiment or study —used with for failure to control for the difference in the rate of smoking between the two groups— Howard Bauchner et al.

control

noun

Medical Definition of control (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : an act or instance of controlling something control of acute intermittent porphyria

2 : one that is used in controlling something: as

a : an experiment in which the subjects are treated as in a parallel experiment except for omission of the procedure or agent under test and which is used as a standard of comparison in judging experimental effects

— called also control experiment

b : one (as an organism, culture, or group) that is part of a control

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control

transitive verb

con·trol

controlled; controlling