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
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.
But in general, the constant competitive threats from these big three will continue to put a lid on Best Buy’s price-to-earnings multiple. Jeff Marks, CNBC, 20 Feb. 2025 After that shot, Mission Hills’ defense managed to put a lid on the explosive Sundevils. Clark Fahrenthold, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Jan. 2025 Hogan added that a declining gross domestic product rate in the U.S. may put a lid on a strong dollar in the near term. Lisa Kailai Han,gabriel Cortés, CNBC, 20 Jan. 2025 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 See All Example Sentences for put a lid on

Cite this Entry

“Put a lid on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/put%20a%20lid%20on. Accessed 2 Mar. 2025.

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!