controlled 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of controllednext
as in restrained

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Dissimilar Words

controlled

2 of 2

verb

past tense of control
1
as in regulated
to keep from exceeding a desirable degree or level (as of expression) you must learn to control your temper

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in contained
to gain emotional or mental control of he controlled himself only with the greatest difficulty in the face of his opponent's insulting remarks

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3
as in governed
to exercise authority or power over circumstances often control the choices we make in life

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4
as in operated
to look after and make decisions about during the period that she controlled the company it was highly profitable

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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 controlled
Adjective
Too bad the script feels less controlled and more directionless when each of these characters go head to head with an increasing body count across several bloody incidents. — Tomris Laffly, Variety, 14 Mar. 2026 Once the legs are free, slow and controlled motions can help a person gradually reach firmer ground. — Outside, 5 Mar. 2026
Verb
Because China’s system is tightly controlled, its descent into personalistic one-man rule does not play out in divisive confrontations on television or erratic social media rants by the top leader. — Carl Minzner, Foreign Affairs, 5 Oct. 2026 These controls should be technically independent of the system being controlled and regularly tested under adversarial conditions. — Babajide Ojuola, Forbes.com, 5 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for controlled
Recent Examples of Synonyms for controlled
  1. restrained
  2. regulated
  3. contained
  4. governed
  5. operated
  6. inhibited
  7. kept
  8. composed
Adjective
  • Producers who do choose to use barrels do so to enhance the fruit flavors and not overpower them thus making elegant, restrained whites.
    — Mike DeSimone, Robb Report, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Dark and atmospheric, yet restrained and sophisticated, as Dunn-Edwards describes it, this hue represents a clear shift in design toward depth, personality, and nuanced warmth for both contemporary and traditional styles.
    — Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of restrained
Verb
  • Emissions aren’t directly regulated yet for the sector, which contributes about 26% of the state’s methane pollution.
    — Blanca Begert, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The American Kratom Association, an industry lobbying group, asserts that it is regulated under a looser dietary supplement law.
    — Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of regulated
Verb
  • Becerra said that plan contained loopholes that would amount to major tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires.
    — Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Dry cat food contained roughly three times more lead than wet or air-dried products.
    — Sandee LaMotte, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of contained
Verb
  • Integration initiatives should be governed against the M&A business case to ensure the execution milestones are tracked against the value in the deal thesis, not just deadlines.
    — Tipu Usha Vaithee Swaran, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Having a single board means that all appeals and applications would be governed by the same logic.
    — Jack Flemming, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of governed
Verb
  • In response to the renaming of the theater, a number of independent theaters across France symbolically operated under the banner of René Vautier on Friday, in a show of solidarity for the cinema and its staff.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The company has operated a Green Apron Creator Program, paying baristas to create social media content during dedicated shifts.
    — Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of operated
Adjective
  • First, men who receive accurate information about what other men actually believe are less inhibited about speaking out and intervening.
    — Catherine A. Sanderson, The Conversation, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Both players were so inhibited for the final game of the set that the level of play resembled something from a local park.
    — Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 27 May 2026
Definition of inhibited
Verb
  • Two weeks into fighting, the unforgiving mountainous terrain, heavy Saudi and government air power, and a reenergized anti-Houthi coalition have kept the Houthi advance in check, preventing a collapse on the level of that in mid-September.
    — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Economics from other streams, such as concessions, on-site merchandise sales, parking and premium seating are overwhelmingly kept by the home team, and that’s largely what’s missed with the London games.
    — Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of kept
Verb
  • The sound of the music was one thing—even when Stereolab were at their loungiest or Stars of the Lid were including the key in which a song was composed in its title, there was something like the faintest air of rock music in their experiments.
    — Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 4 Oct. 2026
  • James Newton Howard Howard composed the emotional finale of the film.
    — Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of composed

Browse Nearby Words

controllable
controlled
controller
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Cite this Entry

“Controlled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/controlled. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.

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