as in controlled
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as in regulated
to keep from exceeding a desirable degree or level (as of expression)
try to curb your curiosity when it comes to your neighbors' business
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Recent Examples of curbed
Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2025
Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 29 May 2026
Sharply higher gas prices haven’t curbed consumer spending for everyone.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 27 May 2026
Stocks in Asia trimmed gains and crude oil advanced after US strikes on sites in Iran curbed optimism over a potential deal to end the war.
—Lily Nonomiya, Bloomberg, 26 May 2026
The scandal also puts at risk Kyiv’s bid for fast-track EU membership, as one of Brussels’ key demands has been that Ukraine’s notorious corruption must be curbed.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 24 May 2026
After just three grands prix this season, tweaks were made that slightly curbed the influence of the electrical power.
—ABC News, 8 May 2026
Another bill in that package, which would’ve curbed prices at concert venues and sports stadiums, died in its first committee hearing, and a third affordability measure was never introduced.
—Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 7 May 2026
There were only three Grand Prix races under those new rules before a package of tweaks was introduced which curbed the influence of the electrical power.
—James Ellingworth, Chicago Tribune, 4 May 2026
The senior official said the country has already begun dialing back crude output but did not specify how much had been curbed so far.
—Anthony Di Paola, Fortune, 2 May 2026
Adjective
The lack of sufficient post-conflict planning—about what would happen after Gaddafi’s regime was toppled—curbed enthusiasm for future collective security efforts in Syria and elsewhere.
—Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2025
Verb
Can one of the world’s most heavily armed militias be curbed without ripping the country apart?
—Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 29 May 2026
Sharply higher gas prices haven’t curbed consumer spending for everyone.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 27 May 2026
Stocks in Asia trimmed gains and crude oil advanced after US strikes on sites in Iran curbed optimism over a potential deal to end the war.
—Lily Nonomiya, Bloomberg, 26 May 2026
The scandal also puts at risk Kyiv’s bid for fast-track EU membership, as one of Brussels’ key demands has been that Ukraine’s notorious corruption must be curbed.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 24 May 2026
After just three grands prix this season, tweaks were made that slightly curbed the influence of the electrical power.
—ABC News, 8 May 2026
Another bill in that package, which would’ve curbed prices at concert venues and sports stadiums, died in its first committee hearing, and a third affordability measure was never introduced.
—Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 7 May 2026
There were only three Grand Prix races under those new rules before a package of tweaks was introduced which curbed the influence of the electrical power.
—James Ellingworth, Chicago Tribune, 4 May 2026
The senior official said the country has already begun dialing back crude output but did not specify how much had been curbed so far.
—Anthony Di Paola, Fortune, 2 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for curbed
Adjective
-
Hurteau says while many land managers and fire experts have been working to restore forest health, there still isn't nearly enough controlled burning being done.—
Lauren Sommer,
NPR,
4 May 2026
-
That translates to asking your stylist for something that sits between the lip and chin with a very blunt, controlled perimeter.—
Diana Tsui,
Footwear News,
3 May 2026
Verb
-
Although each has invested in compliance tooling, their architectures are fundamentally optimized for scale and accessibility, not for the verifiable operational independence that regulated enterprises require.—
Steve McDowell,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
-
The chemical behind the explosion — ammonium nitrate — is not regulated under RMP.—
Evan Bush,
NBC news,
30 May 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
This really is a time to be less inhibited about going out.—
Joe Hernandez,
NPR,
25 May 2026
Verb
-
Even inside the courtroom, where cameras were not allowed, enthusiasm for Jackson’s music could not be contained.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 June 2026
-
That sense of exclusivity carries over to the rest of the public areas, and the fireplace lounge, which is as popular with guests as with locals, feels contained but not walled off.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
Flowering woody shrubs that bloom on new wood tolerate or thrive on fairly aggressive pruning, while those that bloom on old wood require more careful, restrained pruning.—
Marie Iannotti,
The Spruce,
29 May 2026
-
Even out of context, the first meeting at the train station of Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard is ineffably moving, a model of restrained desire.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
The Rockies kept piling on and taking away any chance for late-game drama in LoDo.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
31 May 2026
-
Tedo kept opening bottles of his bold Saperavi red and refilling pitchers of amber wine.—
Lori Rackl,
Boston Herald,
31 May 2026
Verb
-
This step suppressed hydrogen bonding between water molecules, prevented freezing, and preserved its flexibility.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
3 June 2026
-
His puck-moving play was completely suppressed in the offensive zone, too.—
Shayna Goldman,
New York Times,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
Microsoft said the improved qubit stability, combined with operation speeds measured in microseconds and extremely small qubit dimensions, has strengthened its confidence in reaching a scalable quantum computer by the end of the decade.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
2 June 2026
-
Previously, the agency measured the earnings of program graduates four years after completion against the wages of working adults with high school diplomas.—
Tessa Solomon,
ARTnews.com,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Curbed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/curbed. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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