rein

noun

\ ˈrān

Definition of rein

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : a strap fastened to a bit by which a rider or driver controls an animal —usually used in plural

2a : a restraining influence : check kept a tight rein on the proceedings

b : controlling or guiding power —usually used in plural the reins of government

3 : opportunity for unhampered activity or use gave full rein to her imagination

rein

verb

reined; reining; reins

Definition of rein (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to control or direct with or as if with reins

2 : to check or stop by or as if by a pull at the reins reined in her horse couldn't rein his impatience

intransitive verb

1 : to stop or slow up one's horse or oneself by or as if by pulling the reins

2 archaic : to submit to the use of reins

Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about rein

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Examples of rein in a Sentence

Noun

He has people working for him, but he has a tight rein on every part of the process. after the president resigned, the vice president stepped in and took the reins of the company

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Unwilling to give up, General Manager KJ Granberg and her remarkable team of leaders grabbed the reins of the company, worked their magic (and industry knowledge), and returned it to profitability almost immediately. — Jess Fleming, Twin Cities, "Minneapolis restaurant Hell’s Kitchen is selling — to its employees," 15 Sep. 2019 Since the 67-year-old Jamie has been at the reins, his daughter has been doing better professionally and personally, by most accounts. — Los Angeles Times, "Britney Spears’ dad, Jamie Spears, is out as her conservator — at least for now," 10 Sep. 2019 Groomed as a redshirt freshman to take the reins, Brown has been tested in two years under center. — Julian Benbow, BostonGlobe.com, "BC is about to kick off its season — here’s what to look for," 30 Aug. 2019 Ready or not, Rosen will grab the reins of the Cardinals’ meager offensive machine on Sunday. — Mike Vorel, The Seattle Times, "Five things to know about the Seahawks’ next opponent: The Arizona Cardinals," 24 Sep. 2018 But failing to grab the reins could have an even worse impact in the long run. — David Z. Morris, Fortune, "Big Social Sites Are Cracking Down on Controversial Content. What Does that Mean for Society — And for Profits?," 7 Apr. 2018 The government is loosening its reins after companies have been on a decade-long borrowing spree, fueled in part by interest rates that have been close to zero. — Bloomberg.com, "Trump: 'I Don't Think You're Going to Have a Trade War'," 1 Mar. 2018 Saturday, Mike Fiers, the man who took up the reins as Oakland’s most reliable starter, left with nerve irritation in his right arm, but the A’s went on to down Texas 8-6. — Susan Slusser, SFChronicle.com, "Fiers exits with an injury, but A’s use four homers to top Texas," 14 Sep. 2019 Collateral loss happens when new coaches and/or executives take over the reins of a struggling organization. — Omar Kelly, sun-sentinel.com, "Kelly: Dolphins’ 2017 second-round pick trying to avoid being lost in shuffle | Commentary," 12 Sep. 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

The single greatest impediment to reining in gun violence in America isn’t the House of Representatives, President Donald Trump, or even the Supreme Court. — Matt Ford, The New Republic, "America’s Most Powerful Gun Supporter," 6 Aug. 2019 If the Fed will come to the rescue of any economic weakness with monetary stimulus, why go through the difficult political process of reining in spending on domestic and military programs? — Robert Pozen, Fortune, "Why the Fed Lowering Interest Rates Would Be a Mistake," 29 July 2019 The case was one of several government crackdowns aimed at reining in the group. — Washington Post, "Polygamous town contractor must pay $1M to child workers," 3 July 2019 Done well, LEDs could save the planet, in the sense of reining in light pollution. — Babak Tafreshi, National Geographic, "Our nights are getting brighter, and Earth is paying the price," 3 Apr. 2019 Just as Democrats dreamed about reining in Trump by taking control of the House this fall, the president is poised to again wield one of the most powerful levers available to him. — Jonathan Tamari, Philly.com, "With Justice Anthony Kennedy's retirement, Trump's lasting power is amplified," 27 June 2018 But the tests highlight the lack of meaningful progress on reining in North Korea’s nuclear and missile program despite the bromance that’s blossomed between Trump and Kim since their first meeting in Singapore in June 2018. — Charlie Campbell / Shanghai, Time, "North Korea’s Latest Missile Tests Underscore the Need for Focused Negotiations, Not Photo-Ops," 26 July 2019 Instead of urging a ban, the IUCN report calls for reining in deforestation and discouraging the use of unsustainable palm oil. — Dyna Rochmyaningsih, Science | AAAS, "Courting controversy, scientists team with industry to tackle one of the world’s most destructive crops," 11 July 2019 If Mr Salah has played even a small part in reining in Liverpool fans’ prejudice since then, that is an achievement as remarkable as leading the club to European glory. — The Economist, "Mo Salah’s goals help to tackle Islamophobia in Liverpool," 5 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'rein.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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More Definitions for rein

rein

noun

English Language Learners Definition of rein

: a strap that is fastened to a device (called a bridle) placed on the head of an animal (such as a horse) and that is used to guide and control the animal

: the ability to limit or control something

: the power to guide or control someone or something

See the full definition for rein in the English Language Learners Dictionary

rein

noun

\ ˈrān