put a lid on

idiom

1

: to stop (something) from growing or becoming worse

These changes are intended to put a lid on rising medical costs.

2

informal : to stop doing or saying (something)

He angrily told them to put a lid on their complaints.

I'm tired of listening to your complaints, so just put a lid on it!

3

: to cause the end or failure of (something)

The government used the army to put a lid on the rebellion.

Examples of put a lid on in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Analysts argued that expectations for Judge Amit Mehta’s final ruling on remedies by August could put a lid on Alphabet stock’s valuation this year. —Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 2 Jan. 2025

Ritter said the state Department of Insurance put a lid on rate hikes during the COVID-19 pandemic, causing a backlog and delayed approvals that exacerbated the financial strain on insurers and led to significant rate increases. —Jovi Dai, The Mercury News, 24 Dec. 2024

Too much inventory and a more negative outlook will put a lid on this stock. —Jim Cramer, CNBC, 29 Oct. 2024

As Georgetown University Professor Caitlin Talmadge has shown, political and military leaders have to foster the promotion of competent officers, enforce a chain of command, encourage rigorous training, and put a lid on corruption to create an effective force. —Rachel Tecott, Foreign Affairs, 26 Aug. 2021