rein in
phrasal verb
reined in; reining in; reins in
1
: to limit or control (someone or something)
Congress must rein in spending.
You had better rein that kid in before she gets hurt.
2
: to make (an animal) stop by using reins
The rider reined in his horse.
Examples of rein in in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The department saw its baseline funding expire after lawmakers left town for a week-long recess, but without a deal to rein in the conduct of federal immigration officers.
—
Ximena Bustillo, NPR, 14 Feb. 2026
To strengthen the economy, Texas must rein in local spending, increase transparency, expand audits of cities, counties, and universities, and consider local spending caps so taxpayers aren’t saddled with unsustainable obligations.
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
They are poised to shut down DHS this weekend, absent a deal to rein in the conduct of ICE officers.
—Michael Scherer, The Atlantic, 14 Feb. 2026
Johnson, a one-term House member who faces Allred in the Democratic primary, reaffirmed her commitment to reining in ICE.
—Gromer Jeffers Jr, Dallas Morning News, 14 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rein in
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Ximena Bustillo, NPR, 14 Feb. 2026
To strengthen the economy, Texas must rein in local spending, increase transparency, expand audits of cities, counties, and universities, and consider local spending caps so taxpayers aren’t saddled with unsustainable obligations.
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
They are poised to shut down DHS this weekend, absent a deal to rein in the conduct of ICE officers.
—Michael Scherer, The Atlantic, 14 Feb. 2026
Johnson, a one-term House member who faces Allred in the Democratic primary, reaffirmed her commitment to reining in ICE.
—Gromer Jeffers Jr, Dallas Morning News, 14 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rein in
Cite this Entry
“Rein in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rein%20in. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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