under control

idiom

: able to be handled or managed with success : not out of control
She remained calm and kept the situation under control.
A year after the divorce, he finally got his life back under control.
The firefighters got the fire under control.
You need to get your drinking/gambling/anger under control.

Examples of under control 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.
This keeps things under control and as odorless as possible throughout the day. Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 12 Feb. 2026 Most countries failing, while democracies slip The group said most countries are failing to keep corruption under control, with 122 out of the 182 nations and territories surveyed scoring less than 50 points. Geir Moulson, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026 Crew members brought the blaze under control within 30 minutes of the first 911 call, but say the home suffered major damage. Christa Swanson, CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026 Sanchez was furious with his defence for not preventing debutant Adam Armstrong’s flick-on from a corner or stopping Arokodare from bringing the ball under control. Cerys Jones, New York Times, 7 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for under control

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Under control.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/under%20control. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.

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!

More from Merriam-Webster