keep a lid on

idiom

1
: to keep (something secret) from being known
She tried to keep a lid on the news.
2
: 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

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Existing homeowners are also increasingly choosing to sell, which also should keep a lid on prices. Andrew Khouri, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2025 Our troops east of the Euphrates River paired with our SDF partners are there to keep a lid on ISIS and prevent violent extremist organizations from gathering strength and being able to attack the homeland of the United States. ABC News, 8 Dec. 2024 And the release showed that despite their best efforts, top Republicans could not keep a lid on the report. Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 24 Dec. 2024 In cases where a central bank isn't independent, officials may succeed in pressuring a central bank to keep a lid on rates. Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 29 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for keep a lid on

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Cite this Entry

“Keep a lid on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/keep%20a%20lid%20on. Accessed 30 Mar. 2025.

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