put a lid on

idiom

1
: to stop (something) from growing or becoming worse
These changes are intended to put a lid on rising medical costs.
2
informal : to stop doing or saying (something)
He angrily told them to put a lid on their complaints.
I'm tired of listening to your complaints, so just put a lid on it!
3
: to cause the end or failure of (something)
The government used the army to put a lid on the rebellion.

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web Skyrocketing mortgage rates put a lid on an ever-so-hot real estate market. Susan Tompor, Detroit Free Press, 15 Mar. 2023 With James Bradberry, Darius Slay and C.J. Gardner-Johnson roaming in the secondary, the Eagles can put a lid on the big passing plays. David Hill, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2023 That in turn has helped put a lid on surging gasoline prices. Walé Azeez, CNN, 23 Nov. 2021 And as inflation expectations become entrenched, a greater effort is required to put a lid on it. Fortune, 16 Nov. 2021 Doximity has rules that should put a lid on misinformation. Olivia Solon, NBC News, 8 Aug. 2021 Stuck in a decades-long economic downturn with its consistent gusts of stagflation, administrations of all colors have relied on price freezes and currency controls to try to put a lid on inflation. Agustino Fontevecchia, Forbes, 28 June 2021 By doing so, the U.S. can put a lid on inflation over the longer term and promote economic growth. Apratim Gautam, Fortune, 4 Nov. 2022 Opposing defenses have operated in that scheme for a majority of the season as a way to, in essence, put a lid on the offense and keep everything in front of defenders to prevent big plays. Andrew Gillis, cleveland, 22 Oct. 2022 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'put a lid on.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Dictionary Entries Near put a lid on

Cite this Entry

“Put a lid on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/put%20a%20lid%20on. Accessed 7 Jun. 2023.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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