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

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

Their deaths have served as a reminder of Haiti’s ongoing struggle against the growing power of violent gangs, which has increasingly concerned a U.S. government eager to put a lid on the Caribbean nation’s long-running security crisis. —Michael Wilner, Miami Herald, 31 May 2024

Put the individual cloves in a container or jar, put a lid on it, and shake! —USA TODAY, 22 Apr. 2024