bridle

Definition of bridlenext

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 Though the leaders of frontier labs have bridled at the possibility of losing time in the intense global AI race, Commerce Department spokesman Benno Kass cited the speed with which the government acted to address its concerns about Anthropic. Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 26 June 2026 For long stretches, she was denied access to books and bridled against the monotony and regulation of institutional life. Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bridle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bridle
Verb
  • Russia meanwhile has claimed that its forces now control the important town of Kostyantynivka in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine.
    Tim Lister, CNN Money, 5 July 2026
  • The plant also can be controlled by applying a nonselective herbicide, but that will not save digging.
    Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
Verb
  • The clinical version dates to research in the 1960s and 1970s, when devices tracked heart rate variability, muscle tension and skin temperature to help people regulate what was once considered automatic.
    Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 3 July 2026
  • The chronic disease, which impairs the body’s ability to properly regulate blood sugar, contributed to 94,445 deaths that year.
    Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026
Verb
  • Learn about new regulations that aim to curb contact with swimmers.
    Kristin Scharkey, USA Today, 1 July 2026
  • The Financial Times reported that Google has curbed Meta’s use of its AI models after the Facebook and Instagram parent company wanted to use more computing capacity than Google could provide.
    John Kell, Fortune, 1 July 2026
Verb
  • Three women were restrained, arrested, and held for nearly 20 hours in the Baltimore City Detention Center, the lawsuit alleges.
    JT Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 29 June 2026
  • After a special education student in Seymour Public Schools was restrained and secluded 53 times in seven months, the child’s parents filed an official state complaint.
    Sasha Allen, Hartford Courant, 27 June 2026
Verb
  • Pomegranates also contain vitamin K and folate, which can help support healthy blood clotting and cell growth, respectively.
    Daryl Austin, USA Today, 2 July 2026
  • The Lineage warehouse, built in 2018, is likely to contain different materials of concern.
    Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
Verb
  • For just $18, this set includes four cubes in different sizes, along with a shoe bag, laundry bag, and cosmetic pouch to keep every travel essential in its place.
    Julia Morlino, Travel + Leisure, 30 June 2026
  • The app also offers travel guides and organizes your daily itinerary, keeping all your plans in one place.
    Cody Godwin, USA Today, 30 June 2026
Verb
  • Alberto Fujimori, who governed Peru from 1990 to 2000, is credited by supporters with rescuing the country from economic collapse, taming hyperinflation and defeating the brutal Maoist Shining Path insurgency, which had terrorized Peru for years.
    Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 24 June 2026
  • The move to make E15 available year-round represents the White House's latest effort to tame gas prices that have risen because of the war with Iran.
    Jennifer Jacobs, CBS News, 24 June 2026
Verb
  • MoneyLion ranked the nation's 50 most affluent suburbs by household income, as measured in the 2024 American Community Survey.
    Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 4 July 2026
  • Researchers also measured static electric fields by observing how stray fields displaced the ion from its resting position.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 July 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bridle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bridle. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on bridle

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