1
as in domineering
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Dissimilar Words
1
as in regulating
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 containing
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 governing
to exercise authority or power over
circumstances often control the choices we make in life
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4
as in managing
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
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Recent Examples of controlling
Chris Deubert, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Small controlling actions can become bigger controlling actions.
—Thomas Westerholm, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025
The Week Uk, TheWeek, 30 Jan. 2026
Humans have built ways of controlling it, but water has the underlying power to overwhelm and destroy.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for controlling
Adjective
In recent years, all of the major North American sports leagues have changed their ownership rules to permit specialist private equity funds to buy non-controlling stakes in their clubs under strict rules.
—Chris Deubert, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Small controlling actions can become bigger controlling actions.
—Thomas Westerholm, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025
Verb
There is often tension between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, but to make this kind of public accusation – that his mother behaved in a narcissistic, controlling and disturbingly sexualised way – is unforgivable.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 30 Jan. 2026
Humans have built ways of controlling it, but water has the underlying power to overwhelm and destroy.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for controlling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for controlling
Adjective
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Since determining whether someone is domineering is subjective and could vary based on different perspectives, that statement is unlikely to qualify as defamation.—
Taylor Seely,
AZCentral.com,
16 Jan. 2026
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Set in medieval England, Anne (Turner) is torn between her domineering live-in mother-in-law Morwen (Marcia Gay Harden) and a new love interest, Jago (Harington).—
Bailey Richards,
PEOPLE,
15 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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You’re supposed to win when that happens … except that the two Dodgers starters, Shohei Ohtani and Blake Snell, were equally dominating.—
Jayson Stark,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The website says that some states have laws that prohibit driving with snow on your car, or have laws regulating it.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
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The result is a denim that retains the sustainability benefits and high moisture regulating properties of Tencel but with a more authentic cotton-like appearance.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The light is then guided using ultra-precise mirrors and reflected off a mask containing the pattern for one layer of the chip, which is then shrunk and projected onto a silicon wafer.—
Kai Nicol-Schwarz,
CNBC,
29 Jan. 2026
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There are protections in the bill against releasing images containing personally identifying or other sensitive information.—
Meghan O’Brien,
States Newsroom,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The Basel Convention, a global treaty governing hazardous waste movement across borders, shapes how e-waste is recycled worldwide.—
Kristen Edgreen Kaufman,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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The International Bobsled and Skeleton Federation — the sport’s governing body — investigated that race and said no rules were broken.—
Tim Reynolds,
Denver Post,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Experts recommend managing chronic stress with mindfulness, meditation and consistent physical activity to help lower cortisol levels and support healthier metabolic function and weight regulation, per Cleveland Clinic.—
Shiv Sudhakar,
FOXNews.com,
2 Feb. 2026
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Peterson, who missed the last game due to an ankle sprain and is still managing cramping issues, played 20 minutes, with just three coming in the second half.—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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In this war lawyers invariably are depicted as soulless and grasping ambulance-chasers unconcerned about their clients’ welfare, and businesses as, well, soulless, grasping and unconcerned about their customers.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Jan. 2026
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The grasping big toe also suggested this human relative spent more time in the trees.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
26 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Among the dozens of books that have attempted to identify the forces that U.S. President Donald Trump rode to power, this is one of the most closely reported and cogent.—
Foreign Affairs,
Foreign Affairs,
30 Nov. 2025
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Auction has all the ingredients for a cogent social thriller, but never delivers enough in terms of conflict.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
29 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Controlling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/controlling. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.
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