1
as in restraint
the power to control one's actions, impulses, or emotions
toddlers have very little self-control
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in discipline
the checking of one's true feelings and impulses when dealing with others
she could be passionate and intense, but generally exercised steely self-control in the company of strangers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 self-control
The members of the team individually and collectively have to own their own self-control and mental toughness, with the freedom to adapt as appropriate and needed.
—
George Bradt, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025
For instance, trust will be eroded when a person demonstrates a lack of temperance, which manifests as being agitated, impatient, inattentive, rash, and anxious instead of being composed, patient, prudent, self-controlled, and calm.
—Mary Crossan, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
Researchers found that people who accepted their emotions while watching a sad video performed better on a later self-control task than those who tried to suppress their emotions.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025
That means making sure the youngster can demonstrate enough self-control that allows the educational process to function.
—Vincent Turley, Hartford Courant, 2 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-control
George Bradt, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025
For instance, trust will be eroded when a person demonstrates a lack of temperance, which manifests as being agitated, impatient, inattentive, rash, and anxious instead of being composed, patient, prudent, self-controlled, and calm.
—Mary Crossan, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
Researchers found that people who accepted their emotions while watching a sad video performed better on a later self-control task than those who tried to suppress their emotions.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025
That means making sure the youngster can demonstrate enough self-control that allows the educational process to function.
—Vincent Turley, Hartford Courant, 2 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-control
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-control
Noun
-
The chance that American attacks on Houthis could prompt attacks on Saudi Arabia and a renewal of the kingdom’s brutal war in Yemen was a chief concern of the Biden administration, a prime reason that White House operated with a degree of restraint in its strikes on Houthi targets.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
26 Mar. 2025
-
Sullivan, 56, was charged with first-degree unlawful restraint, cruelty to persons and first-degree reckless endangerment.—
Livi Stanford,
Hartford Courant,
25 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Ritchey sees the fantastic as the foil to the Germanic Bildungsroman, which influenced continental Romantic arts across disciplines.—
Angelica Frey,
JSTOR Daily,
9 Apr. 2025
-
In East Germany, Czechoslovakia and Poland, ministries dictated curricula, Marxism-Leninism became mandatory across disciplines, and admissions were reengineered to favor students from loyalist backgrounds.—
Iveta Silova,
The Conversation,
9 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Read More: 8 Things to Say During a Fight With Your Partner Swearing seems to help people shed their social inhibitions, according to Stephens, one of the study’s authors.—
Stacey Colino,
Time,
1 Apr. 2025
-
Those raising awareness of the Arabic Facebook posts feel no such inhibition.—
Ben Sales,
Sun Sentinel,
24 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Documenting Jenna’s bold art and activism, this film offers a powerful, intimate look at resilience under repression.—
Hilary Lewis,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Apr. 2025
-
It has been used to punish mutinies and desertion in armies, as frontier justice in America's Old West and as a tool of terror and political repression in the former Soviet Union and Nazi Germany.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
12 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Self-control.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-control. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share