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Definition of checknext
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as in bill
the amount owed at a bar or restaurant or the slip of paper stating the amount diners at that temple of gastronomy often look shocked when they receive the check

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3
as in statement
a record of goods sold or services performed together with the costs due request a detailed check from the company before sending any money

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4
as in ticket
a small sheet of plastic, paper, or paperboard showing that the bearer has a claim to something (as admittance) handed over a check for his coat

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5
as in restriction
something that limits one's freedom of action or choice the judiciary is intended to be a check on the executive and legislative branches of government

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

6
as in fissure
an irregular usually narrow break in a surface created by pressure the network of fine checks on the surface would indicate that the painting is quite old

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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb check contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of check are bridle, curb, and restrain. While all these words mean "to hold back from or control in doing something," check implies restraining or impeding a progress, activity, or impetus.

trying to check government spending

In what contexts can bridle take the place of check?

While in some cases nearly identical to check, bridle implies keeping under control by subduing or holding in.

bridle an impulse to throw the book down

When can curb be used instead of check?

Although the words curb and check have much in common, curb suggests an abrupt or drastic checking.

learn to curb your appetite

Where would restrain be a reasonable alternative to check?

In some situations, the words restrain and check are roughly equivalent. However, restrain suggests holding back by force or persuasion from acting or from going to extremes.

restrained themselves from laughing

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of check
Noun
Recent price action also suggests channel checks going into the print have generally been positive. — Michael Khouw, CNBC, 28 Sep. 2026 All seemed right in the world until 2008, when Cook discovered that McCauley had been diverting funds for years, forging bank statements and checks and making large withdrawals. — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 28 Sep. 2026
Verb
The other six had some, but not all, of the detail items checked. — Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, 30 Sep. 2026 Read the specs, check the bulb count and follow the safety guidance packaged with your device, especially around the eyes. — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 28 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for check
Recent Examples of Synonyms for check
Noun
  • In some cases, House Democrats are campaigning on the bill that’s doomed in its current form, presenting a further contrast to the vast majority of Senate Democrats who want nothing to do with it.
    — Ramsey Touchberry, The Washington Examiner, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The bill would give individuals the right to authorize the use of their voice and likeness in digital replication.
    — Ted Johnson, Deadline, 30 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • These drones can create digital inspection records that can be delivered offsite for storage or later review, creating better documentation for compliance, dispute resolution and decision making.
    — Natalie Lemke, Forbes.com, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Instead, that would have to wait a few months longer, after a gantlet of inspections that included long waits was finally finished.
    — Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 29 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The family's lawyer, Brett Parkinson, said in a statement that the report reaffirms those claims.
    — MICHAEL R. SISAK, Arkansas Online, 26 Sep. 2026
  • In its proxy statement, Oracle told investors the fact that Ellison and the co-CEOs’ options had no intrinsic value means the plan is working as intended.
    — Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 26 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Days later, facing the credible threat of losing a third consecutive star on the eve of ticket sales opening, Boston moved, agreeing to a record $331 million deal.
    — Chris Koras, Sportico.com, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Green will also donate $1 from every ticket sold to each participating school to aid student and school programs.
    — Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 28 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • America has seen in semiconductors, 5G, and other strategic industries that restrictions alone cannot permanently stall China’s ambitions.
    — Patrick McHenry, STAT, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Along with compensation restrictions, the bill creates a framework for transfers, allowing one undergraduate transfer without penalty and another for graduate school.
    — Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 29 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • This fissure triggered one of the 21st century’s bloodiest wars in 2020 when federal forces attempted to wrestle control of the large province of Tigray, leaving up to 600,000 dead by the time a ceasefire deal was signed two years later.
    — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Groundwater steadily rises through fissures in the limestone bedrock, providing the spring with a constant flow of pristine water.
    — Savannah Born, Travel + Leisure, 17 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • But for a stock that hit a screeching halt just three months ago when the blow-up of hedge fund Situational Awareness sent a chill through the AI bull market, a more measured rally might be just what traders want.
    — Oliver Renick, CNBC, 30 Sep. 2026
  • And yet that life seems to have come to a halt for Elif, a respected poet who’s been stuck in a rut for a long time.
    — Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 23 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • One signal indicated a general emergency, while another corresponded to unlawful interference or a hijacking situation.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 30 Sep. 2026
  • For now, there are signs that portions of the information supplied by the hackers correspond to real people.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Check.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/check. Accessed 1 Oct. 2026.

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