put a lid on
phrase
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
Strong demand from the data center building boom and the electrification of everything is underpinning one side of the copper-price equation while mine incidents and accidents (outages) have put a lid on supply growth.
—
Tim Treadgold,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for put a lid on
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Tim Treadgold,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for 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 3 Jul. 2026.
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