as in shortening
to make less in extent or duration
curtailed the school day because of the stormy weather
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 curtailing
Key components of authoritarianism include rejecting democratic rules; denying the legitimacy of opponents; tolerating or encouraging political violence; and curtailing the civil liberties of opponents.
—
Karrin Vasby Anderson, The Conversation, 10 Sep. 2025
Following the public outcry, EU leaders started issuing statements warning that the new law curtailing NABU’s authority would jeopardize Ukraine’s EU accession.
—Daria Kaleniuk, Foreign Affairs, 3 Sep. 2025
The overall idea is to avoid abruptly curtailing water for users, but farmers in southern New Mexico have concerns about how much water will be available and who will be able to use it.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2025
Reports are also emerging that Ukraine may have knocked out a fifth of Russia’s refining capacity via drone attacks, severely curtailing Moscow’s ability to service its war economy.
—Gaurav Sharma, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
The moves, which are aimed at curtailing costs, are due in part to the perception that some of the instruments were going to be focused on gathering data to study climate change.
—Jade Walker, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2025
But to solve that properly, OpenAI must go beyond curtailing the friendly banter.
—Parmy Olson, Mercury News, 20 Aug. 2025
The Agriculture Department is curtailing its support for solar and wind energy on farmlands.
—Rachel Frazin, The Hill, 19 Aug. 2025
Street protests erupted around the country last month after Zelenskyy's government and the Ukrainian parliament approved a new law curtailing the independence of two key anti-corruption agencies.
—David Brennan, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2025
Karrin Vasby Anderson, The Conversation, 10 Sep. 2025
Following the public outcry, EU leaders started issuing statements warning that the new law curtailing NABU’s authority would jeopardize Ukraine’s EU accession.
—Daria Kaleniuk, Foreign Affairs, 3 Sep. 2025
The overall idea is to avoid abruptly curtailing water for users, but farmers in southern New Mexico have concerns about how much water will be available and who will be able to use it.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2025
Reports are also emerging that Ukraine may have knocked out a fifth of Russia’s refining capacity via drone attacks, severely curtailing Moscow’s ability to service its war economy.
—Gaurav Sharma, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
The moves, which are aimed at curtailing costs, are due in part to the perception that some of the instruments were going to be focused on gathering data to study climate change.
—Jade Walker, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2025
But to solve that properly, OpenAI must go beyond curtailing the friendly banter.
—Parmy Olson, Mercury News, 20 Aug. 2025
The Agriculture Department is curtailing its support for solar and wind energy on farmlands.
—Rachel Frazin, The Hill, 19 Aug. 2025
Street protests erupted around the country last month after Zelenskyy's government and the Ukrainian parliament approved a new law curtailing the independence of two key anti-corruption agencies.
—David Brennan, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for curtailing
Verb
-
These quick highlights also align with ever-shortening attention spans.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
-
After noticing that more people were commuting by bicycle, designers tweaked the brand’s windproof jacket, shortening its length and tightening the sleeves to prevent air from blowing up a rider’s arms.—
Lauren Collins,
New Yorker,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The confirmation came just two days before the Fed is expected to vote on reducing its key interest rate.—
Adeola Adeosun
Robert Birsel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Every action counts, whether reducing HFCs, investing in sustainable cooling, or holding governments accountable for climate commitments.—
Dianne Plummer,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Curtailing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/curtailing. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share