CONTROLS Synonyms: 196 Similar and Opposite Words

controls 1 of 2

noun

Definition of controls next

plural of control

as in controllers

a mechanism for adjusting the operation of a device, machine, or system the controls for the player are well marked

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as in hands

the ability to direct the course of something after the tail fell off, the plane went out of the pilot's control firefighters keeping control of the blaze

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as in operations

the act or activity of looking after and making decisions about something control of manufacturing operations was given to a new manager with fresh ideas

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as in powers

the right or means to command or control others teachers are responsible for the students under their control

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controls

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of control

as in regulates

to keep from exceeding a desirable degree or level (as of expression) you must learn to control your temper

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as in contains

to gain emotional or mental control of he controlled himself only with the greatest difficulty in the face of his opponent's insulting remarks

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as in rules

to exercise authority or power over circumstances often control the choices we make in life

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as in operates

to look after and make decisions about during the period that she controlled the company it was highly profitable

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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 controls

Noun

McMorris added that public agencies ca,n be more vulnerable to contracting abuses without strong safeguards, pointing to practices such as limits on no-bid contracts, multi-level approval processes, regular audits and stricter controls on contract changes and cost overruns. —

Teresa Liu, Daily News, 28 Mar. 2026 Tech companies have been responding to mental health concerns, rolling out new parental controls so parents can keep track of their children’s screen time and moderating harmful content. —

Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2026 Price controls on prescription drugs will delay new drug development. —

Stephen Moore, Boston Herald, 27 Mar. 2026 Interim Superintendent Jennifer Perry also announced plans for an external audit to review the district’s organizational systems, including internal controls and fiscal responsibilities. —

Jessica Seaman, Denver Post, 27 Mar. 2026 The initiative calls for Congress to enact legislation that includes parental controls, intellectual property rights protection, First Amendment protections, expanding AI workforce development, allowing data centers to generate their own power, and removing legal barriers that limit AI innovation. —

Glenn Garner, Deadline, 26 Mar. 2026 Some competitors have shifted over to pressure-sensitive controls that can be more consistent and harder to accidentally activate, so the Air Pro 4+ feel a tad behind, though the controls worked reliably in testing. —

Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 26 Mar. 2026 The Seoul Metropolitan Government had initially anticipated crowds of up to 260,000 people, implementing traffic controls from the evening prior and rerouting buses across more than 60 stops. —

Jen Kwon, CBS News, 21 Mar. 2026 While South Korean officials have taken crowd safety more seriously since a deadly 2022 Halloween surge that killed nearly 160 people, critics say the controls are excessive and undercut the symbolism of performing in Gwanghwamun, seen as Seoul’s spiritual heart and most prominent gathering space. —

ABC News, 20 Mar. 2026

Verb

Why wasn't the White House able to get both parties – both heads of the party the president controls on the same page? —

CBS News, 29 Mar. 2026 Who controls what regions of the moon? —

Space.com Staff, Space.com, 28 Mar. 2026 Who controls the biggest plot of land in Hollywood now? —

Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 27 Mar. 2026 His political party, Fidesz, now controls most universities, the civil service, the high courts, and, through a network of oligarchs, almost all newspapers and broadcasters, as well as about a fifth of the economy, according to independent economists. —

Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2026 The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee, which controls the majority of the agency’s funding, has not pursued providing Idaho State Police with additional money to address the issue. —

Sally Krutzig, Idaho Statesman, 27 Mar. 2026 The Communist Party of Nepal (Unified ⁠Marxist-Leninist) of Oli, who was forced to resign after the Gen Z unrest, controls 25 members. —

Reuters, NBC news, 27 Mar. 2026 Republicans are at a disadvantage, based on historical results, facing a midterm election in which their party holds the presidency and controls Congress. —

Paul Egan, Freep.com, 27 Mar. 2026 In the new sequel, Grace teams with her estranged younger sister, Faith (Kathryn Newton), as they’re hunted by four elite families full of murderous jerks scrambling to become the High Seat of a Council that controls the world. —

Brian Truitt, USA Today, 21 Mar. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for controls

Noun

At the same time, the mission will test flight controllers and procedures needed to safely send astronauts back to the moon for long-duration stays as NASA makes plans for a future moon base.

— William Harwood, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
Mission controllers will track communications and navigation performance.

— Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026