1
as in helm
usually reins plural
the place of leadership or command
after the president resigned, the vice president stepped in and took the reins of the company
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in restriction
the act or practice of keeping something (as an activity) within certain boundaries
the oversight committee called on the state to keep a much tighter rein on the activities of its contractors
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in power
usually reins plural
the right or means to command or control others
a peaceful transfer of the reins of government has always been a hallmark of our nation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to restrain
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rein
Sydney Bucksbaum, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Feb. 2026
The Bulls are a losing team that’s not giving him the reins.
—Fred Katz, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2026
Richard Brody, New Yorker, 17 Jan. 2026
Sparking a bipartisan rebuke to rein him in.
—ABC News, 11 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rein
Noun
Under the direction of new owner David Ellison, the son of conservative billionaire and Trump ally Larry Ellison, CBS's parent company, Paramount Skydance, bought Weiss's independent news publication, The Free Press, for $150 million, handing her the reins of CBS News shortly thereafter.
—Sydney Bucksbaum, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Feb. 2026
The Bulls are a losing team that’s not giving him the reins.
—Fred Katz, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2026
Verb
Still, Stroheim’s spending was out of control—literally so, insofar as attempting to rein him in seemed to provoke new extravagances.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 17 Jan. 2026
Sparking a bipartisan rebuke to rein him in.
—ABC News, 11 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rein
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rein
Noun
-
The Surtain pick was made with the philosophy that there would be no shortcuts, after Paton assumed the helm of a franchise that had gone 32-48 in its five seasons since winning Super Bowl 50.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
28 Feb. 2026
-
Saturday On Saturday, investors will hear from Berkshire Hathaway, marking its first earnings report under new CEO Greg Abel after Warren Buffett stepped down from the helm in December.—
Natasha Abellard,
CNBC,
28 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Beijing has balked at any restrictions on its smaller but growing nuclear arsenal and denies carrying out such a nuclear test.—
Jamey Keaten,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Feb. 2026
-
In September, a state appeals court ordered Huntington Beach to update its housing element within 120 days and allowed state regulators to impose restrictions on the city’s control over permitting and development in the meantime.—
Claire Wang,
Oc Register,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
From Demna’s star-studded, dramatic first Gucci show to a bold Fendi debut from Maria Grazia Chiuri, with Uma Thurman and Monica Bellucci front row, and even a Madonna cameo at Dolce & Gabbana, this season in Milan packed plenty of celebrity power.—
Lucy Maguire,
Vogue,
2 Mar. 2026
-
The central issue in Learning Resources--the authority of presidents to usurp congressional powers--would have never arisen, there would have been no court ruling or case to now discuss, if Republicans in Congress had defended their legislative authority from the outset.—
Bradley Gitz,
Arkansas Online,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The seatback frame on the driver and passenger seats may not restrain occupants during crashes, potentially leading to injuries.—
Saleen Martin,
USA Today,
27 Feb. 2026
-
The lawsuit sought a temporary restraining order preventing the board and Cavin from taking any further action in their cases, as well as an injunction restraining Cavin and the board from discriminating against, or retaliating against, Mejia and Smith.—
Clark Kauffman,
Iowa Capital Dispatch,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The Executive Rooms have cushy beds, nice hardwood floors, spa showers, jetted tubs, a super-ergonomic office chair, and energizing views of Metcalfe Street.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Babies and young children attend events into the wee hours of the night, often falling asleep in someone’s arms or dozing across several chairs.—
Katrina Donham,
Parents,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Given the company’s culture, some outside commentators have speculated that at least some Anthropic staff will resign if the company gives in to Hegseth’s demands and drops the limitations currently built into its government contracts.—
Jeremy Kahn,
Fortune,
26 Feb. 2026
-
This is one of the limitations in the value of customer feedback, both Vana and Flynn say.—
James Doubek,
NPR,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Eastern Libya has become a key launch point for smugglers, undercutting years of EU efforts to curb departures and making Crete a new pressure point.—
LEFTERIS PITARAKIS,
Arkansas Online,
1 Mar. 2026
-
As a result, Congress hasn’t done much to curb his war powers, and the number of Republicans willing to buck the president over war powers has decreased.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
1 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But the Pentagon doesn’t want to be constrained by a company’s policies.—
Hadas Gold,
CNN Money,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Independent and community-based buyers represent an essential demand segment but are heavily constrained by a fragmented system.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
26 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rein.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rein. Accessed 2 Mar. 2026.
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