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.

Examples of put a lid on in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web As Georgetown University Professor Caitlin Talmadge has shown, political and military leaders have to foster the promotion of competent officers, enforce a chain of command, encourage rigorous training, and put a lid on corruption to create an effective force. Rachel Tecott, Foreign Affairs, 26 Aug. 2021 Their deaths have served as a reminder of Haiti’s ongoing struggle against the growing power of violent gangs, which has increasingly concerned a U.S. government eager to put a lid on the Caribbean nation’s long-running security crisis. Michael Wilner, Miami Herald, 31 May 2024 Put the individual cloves in a container or jar, put a lid on it, and shake! USA TODAY, 22 Apr. 2024 For O'Brien, her concerns focused on how extending hours at Cholla Library could bring back problems when property owners had only recently put a lid on some of the conflicts dealing with loitering. Taylor Seely, The Arizona Republic, 4 Mar. 2024 See all Example Sentences for put a lid on 

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 31 Oct. 2024.

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