keep a lid on

idiom

: to keep (something secret) from being known

She tried to keep a lid on the news.

: to control (something) : to keep (something) from becoming worse

The government has been unable to keep a lid on inflation.

Examples of keep a lid on in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

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.

Analysts took the stock to a hold-equivalent rating from outperform on the belief that headwinds in its theme park business will keep a lid on the stock. —

Paulina Likos, CNBC, 1 Oct. 2024 This new reality might keep a lid on consumer energy prices even as geopolitical strife intensifies. —

Courtenay Brown, Axios, 29 Oct. 2024 This is hardly the first time that news has circulated quickly on the social media networks even as Moscow has tried to keep a lid on the story without success. —

Peter Suciu, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024 To keep a lid on grocery prices, a Harris-Walz administration promises to avoid concentrations in supply chains. —

Milton Ezrati, Forbes, 9 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for keep a lid on

Cite this Entry

Style

“Keep a lid on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/keep%20a%20lid%20on. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Copy Citation