bridle

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb bridle contrast with its synonyms?

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

The meanings of check and bridle largely overlap; however, check implies restraining or impeding a progress, activity, or impetus.

trying to check government spending

When could curb be used to replace bridle?

Although the words curb and bridle have much in common, curb suggests an abrupt or drastic checking.

learn to curb your appetite

When would restrain be a good substitute for bridle?

The words restrain and bridle are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, restrain suggests holding back by force or persuasion from acting or from going to extremes.

restrained themselves from laughing

Example 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 bridle Some diplomats bridle at the very idea of haggling with the Taliban, saying that the rights of women and girls are nonnegotiable. Delaney Simon, Foreign Affairs, 2 Jan. 2025 Tchaikovsky’s symphonic ambitions bridle against their keyboard constraints in his early C-sharp sonata; Trifonov tapped both fluidity and clarity out of the bloat. Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 20 Nov. 2024 Helping Diggs bridle his competitive fire while understanding his fit into the framework of Houston’s offense will rank among Ryans’ top priorities. Mike Jones, The Athletic, 3 Apr. 2024 Observers outside Russia have often assumed that young Russians are bridling under the Putin regime and that any real change in the country’s political culture will require a generational shift in its power structure. Andrei Kolesnikov, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2024 See All Example Sentences for bridle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bridle
Verb
  • Emotions Are a Competitive Advantage in Finance Understanding that emotions influence financial behavior means that controlling your emotional state can become a strategic advantage.
    Shane Enete, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025
  • The three main causes of hydroplaning are: Vehicle speed - When a vehicle's speed increases, the tire-traction grip and ability to control the vehicle decreases.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 23 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The Bloomberg News film includes interviews with parents involved in efforts to secure wins in the courts and the halls of power in Washington D.C. to regulate social media platforms.
    Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Mar. 2025
  • The first step is to regulate your body, Akua K. Boateng, PhD, an individual and couples therapist and founder of Boateng Consulting, tells SELF.
    Carolyn L. Todd, SELF, 21 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Some council members in the city of Monroe tried to take a similar approach to curb LGBTQ+ events.
    Nora O’Neill, Charlotte Observer, 28 Mar. 2025
  • The Trump Administration already has curbed independent research at other agencies, including the Department of Education and the IRS.
    Howard Gleckman, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • At Refuge of Grace, Groves said, discipline for breaking a rule included excessive workouts, restraining, standing against a wall for hours on end and bans on talking.
    Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 21 Mar. 2025
  • Despite the urgency of the measles crisis, the official response from medical groups has been typically restrained.
    Brandy Zadrozny, NBC News, 20 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The report from Beacon, a cross-asset portfolio analytics and risk management platform for multi-strategy hedge funds, contains some good news and some not so good news about hedge funds’ use of technology.
    Lawrence Wintermeyer, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025
  • The palette contains highly pigmented, blendable and long-lasting eyeshadows in assorted natural colors.
    Nora Colomer, FOXNews.com, 27 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The snap-down closure keeps your phone secure all day while the zippered interior has nine slots for cards, including a clear pocket for your ID.
    Clint Davis, People.com, 23 Mar. 2025
  • It’s been keeping windows sparkling clean since 1936.
    Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 23 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • His conduct also invites comparisons to Vladimir Putin, his favorite foreign dictator, who has banned or tamed almost all independent media in Russia.
    Orlando Sentinel and South Florida Sun Sentinel Editorial Boards, Orlando Sentinel, 14 Mar. 2025
  • Inflation spiked in 2022 to its highest level in four decades, propelling Trump to the White House and leading the Fed to rapidly raise interest rates to tame prices.
    DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE STAFFFROM WIRE REPORTS, arkansasonline.com, 1 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • And organizations across the food system have been very active in measuring the scale of food waste—because having that data is a crucial step toward solving these challenges.
    Danielle Nierenberg, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025
  • Aftershocks followed, one of them measuring a strong 6.4 magnitude.
    Time, Time, 28 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Bridle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bridle. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.

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