keep a lid on

idiom

1
: to keep (something secret) from being known
She tried to keep a lid on the news.
2
: to control (something) : to keep (something) from becoming worse
The government has been unable to keep a lid on inflation.

Examples of keep a lid on in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The history of the semiconductor industry, which is notorious for its boom-to-bust cycles, is helping to keep a lid on Nvidia’s valuation. Bloomberg, Mercury News, 29 Aug. 2025 Trump tried to keep a lid on the release of the files after he reportedly was told by Attorney General Pam Bondi that he is mentioned in them. Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 28 July 2025 Fruit flies will still find rotten food thrown in the trash and drink cans that still contain liquid, so keep a lid on the bins for extra protection. Emma Ashe, Southern Living, 13 July 2025 Eisenhower was determined to reverse, and then keep a lid on, the growth of federal debt. Robert Hormats, Time, 3 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for keep a lid on

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Cite this Entry

“Keep a lid on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/keep%20a%20lid%20on. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.

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