curb 1 of 2

curb

2 of 2

noun

as in restriction
something that limits one's freedom of action or choice these international regulations act as a curb on the plundering of a nation's archaeological treasures

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb curb contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of curb are bridle, check, and restrain. While all these words mean "to hold back from or control in doing something," curb suggests an abrupt or drastic checking.

learn to curb your appetite

When is it sensible to use bridle instead of curb?

While in some cases nearly identical to curb, bridle implies keeping under control by subduing or holding in.

bridle an impulse to throw the book down

Where would check be a reasonable alternative to curb?

Although the words check and curb have much in common, check implies restraining or impeding a progress, activity, or impetus.

trying to check government spending

In what contexts can restrain take the place of curb?

The synonyms restrain and curb are sometimes interchangeable, but restrain suggests holding back by force or persuasion from acting or from going to extremes.

restrained themselves from laughing

Examples 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 curb
Verb
Education departments in another 10 states have issued policy recommendations or begun pilot programs to curb phone usage. April Rubin, Axios, 16 Jan. 2025 The United States on Monday unveiled new export rules on advanced computing chips used for artificial intelligence, aiming to facilitate sales to allied nations and further curb access to countries like China. Afp, Fortune Asia, 13 Jan. 2025
Noun
Now's the time to put away your Christmas ornaments and haul your tree to the curb. Steph Solis, Axios, 2 Jan. 2025 Three people were hospitalized after a New York City taxi cab jumped the curb and struck multiple pedestrians in Herald Square on Christmas Day. Victoria Arancio, ABC News, 25 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for curb 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for curb
Verb
  • Zoom out: The announcement comes a day after Trump signed an executive order rescinding a Biden-era executive order regulating AI.
    Sareen Habeshian, Axios, 21 Jan. 2025
  • The dye, which has been registered with and regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration since 1971, is used by food manufacturers to achieve a bright red color.
    Hannah Yasharoff, USA TODAY, 21 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • States that have successfully addressed housing shortages — such as Texas, where cities like Austin have seen a 12.6% decline in rental prices — have prioritized loosening restrictions, streamlining permitting processes and promoting new construction to meet demand.
    David Byrd, Baltimore Sun, 20 Jan. 2025
  • His stance represents a stark contrast to the Biden administration's pause on LNG export approvals and restrictions on federal land drilling.
    Robert Daugherty, Forbes, 20 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Privacy And Data Concerns Larger, consolidated companies control vast amounts of data, raising concerns about data security, privacy and potential misuse.
    Andrew Neal, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025
  • Additionally, the authors either didn’t have details on, or didn’t control for, race or ethnicity and socioeconomic factors, which can affect life expectancy.
    Kristen Rogers, CNN, 23 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • The launch date is dependent on spacecraft traffic to the ISS and in-orbit activity planning and constraints that have to be coordinated with NASA.
    Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel, 15 Jan. 2025
  • Newcastle also remain bound by financial constraints, with only about £60million spent this season.
    Philip Buckingham, The Athletic, 14 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Personnel restrained Owens and the flight departing from that gate was delayed, according to the statement.
    Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Jan. 2025
  • When Collins swatted Acevedo’s hand away, he was restrained and punched repeatedly by Zapata for about nine seconds until other officers intervened, urging their supervisor to back down.
    Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 22 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • This is all down to memory-bandwidth limitations on the Nvidia cards, due to their 128-bit interface.
    PCMAG, PCMAG, 25 Jan. 2025
  • There is a proposal on the table for an increase to a $750 million cap, but even that comes with significant limitations that exclude key parts of a production’s budget.
    P.J. Byrne, Variety, 24 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • The Eaton Fire, which also broke out on Jan. 7 in Pasadena and Altadena, was 95% contained on Sunday after burning more than 14,000 acres, destroying more than 9,400 structures and killing 17 people.
    Daniel Amarante, ABC News, 26 Jan. 2025
  • Which team’s pass rush bothers or contains the other QB more effectively might tip this result.
    Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 26 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Unlike some knit caps, these winter beanies are fully lined with a warm, soft fleece fabric that retains heat, keeping your head and ears comfortable and protected on cold travel days.
    Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 22 Jan. 2025
  • While conventional wisdom might suggest keeping friendships and work separate, recent research suggests otherwise.
    Kathleen Shanley, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near curb

Cite this Entry

“Curb.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/curb. Accessed 29 Jan. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on curb

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!