curtail

verb

cur·​tail (ˌ)kər-ˈtāl 

curtailed; curtailing; curtails

transitive verb

: to make less by or as if by cutting off or away some part

curtail the power of the executive branch

curtail inflation

Some school activities are being curtailed due to a lack of funds.

curtailer

(ˌ)kər-ˈtā-lər 

noun

Synonyms

• shorten

Choose the Right Synonym for curtail

shorten, curtail, abbreviate, abridge, retrench mean to reduce in extent.

shorten implies reduction in length or duration.

shorten a speech

curtail adds an implication of cutting that in some way deprives of completeness or adequacy.

ceremonies curtailed because of rain

abbreviate implies a making shorter usually by omitting some part.

using an abbreviated title

abridge implies a reduction in compass or scope with retention of essential elements and a relative completeness in the result.

the abridged version of the novel

retrench suggests a reduction in extent or costs of something felt to be excessive.

declining business forced the company to retrench

Examples of curtail in a Sentence

The new laws are an effort to curtail illegal drug use.

School activities are being curtailed due to a lack of funds.

Recent Examples on the Web

Following Fidel Castro’s departure from public life in 2008, Cuba’s subsequent leader, and Fidel’s brother, Raul Castro, announced a series of gradual steps intended to encourage private enterprise that had long been curtailed by the government. —Joseph J. Gonzalez, The Conversation, 3 Oct. 2025

Where To Stay in Martin County With a strict ban on buildings over four stories, the Treasure Coast curtails the kind of over development that can choke out some Florida beach towns. —Kelsey Glennon, Southern Living, 3 Oct. 2025

Numerous Western corporations announced their intention to curtail operations in the country within weeks of the invasion. —Nina Khrushcheva, Time, 3 Oct. 2025

The decision to scrap an access-all-areas documentary — as revealed by The Athletic in July — also curtailed what could have been a valuable source of income. —Laurie Whitwell, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

by folk etymology from earlier curtal to dock an animal's tail, from curtal, noun, animal with a docked tail, from Middle French courtault — more at curtal

First Known Use

1580, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for curtail

• airmail
• assail
• avail
• bewail
• blackmail
• cattail
• cocktail
• derail
• detail
• dovetail
• email
• entail

Kids Definition

curtail

verb

cur·​tail (ˌ)kər-ˈtā(ə)l 

: to make less by or as if by cutting off part of

curtailer

-ˈtā-lər 

noun

curtailment

-ˈtāl-mənt

noun