curtail

verb

cur·​tail (ˌ)kər-ˈtāl 

curtailed; curtailing; curtails

transitive verb

: to make less by or as if by cutting off or away some part

curtail the power of the executive branch

curtail inflation

Some school activities are being curtailed due to a lack of funds.

curtailer

(ˌ)kər-ˈtā-lər 

noun

Synonyms

• abbreviate
• abridge
• cut back
• dock
• elide
• shorten
• syncopate
• truncate

Choose the Right Synonym for curtail

shorten, curtail, abbreviate, abridge, retrench mean to reduce in extent.

shorten implies reduction in length or duration.

shorten a speech

curtail adds an implication of cutting that in some way deprives of completeness or adequacy.

ceremonies curtailed because of rain

abbreviate implies a making shorter usually by omitting some part.

using an abbreviated title

abridge implies a reduction in compass or scope with retention of essential elements and a relative completeness in the result.

the abridged version of the novel

retrench suggests a reduction in extent or costs of something felt to be excessive.

declining business forced the company to retrench

Examples of curtail in a Sentence

The new laws are an effort to curtail illegal drug use.

School activities are being curtailed due to a lack of funds.

Recent Examples on the Web

Here is the latest on the president’s actions: Trump seeks to curtail gender transitions for those under 19 President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed an executive order aimed at curtailing gender transitions for people under age 19. —Jeff Barker, Baltimore Sun, 28 Jan. 2025

His latest objective is curtailing the excesses of sports gambling. —Sean Gregory / Boston, TIME, 27 Jan. 2025

The refugee order was one of several aimed at curtailing the arrival and migration of people from other countries to the United States. —Sharon Bernstein, Sacramento Bee, 24 Jan. 2025

The two appeared to make up after Oct. 7, when Musk began openly supporting Israel, visited Auschwitz and pledged to curtail anti-Zionist speech on X. Greenblatt praised such measures even as many corporations were fleeing the platform over a spike in antisemitic content. —Andrew Lapin, Sun Sentinel, 23 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

by folk etymology from earlier curtal to dock an animal's tail, from curtal, noun, animal with a docked tail, from Middle French courtault — more at curtal

First Known Use

1580, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

curtail

verb

cur·​tail (ˌ)kər-ˈtā(ə)l 

: to make less by or as if by cutting off part of

curtailer

-ˈtā-lər 

noun

curtailment

-ˈtāl-mənt

noun