as in to control
to keep from exceeding a desirable degree or level (as of expression)
try to bridle your criticism next time so that it is helpful and not hurtful
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bridle
During his first term in office, President Donald Trump bridled under various Watergate-era mechanisms passed to provide oversight to the executive branch.
—
Patrick Eddington, Oc Register, 20 Apr. 2025
Well, bridled a little, in that Molly engages in some bondage play as the show goes on.
—Margaret Lyons, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2025
The judge also bridled that OPM's acting director, Charles Ezell, and his senior adviser, Noah Peters, did not attend the hearing.
—Emily Feng, NPR, 13 Mar. 2025
Weaker firms may bridle at the costs of compliance; some will go out of business.
—James K. Galbraith, Foreign Affairs, 14 Jan. 2019
See All Example Sentences for bridle
Patrick Eddington, Oc Register, 20 Apr. 2025
Well, bridled a little, in that Molly engages in some bondage play as the show goes on.
—Margaret Lyons, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2025
The judge also bridled that OPM's acting director, Charles Ezell, and his senior adviser, Noah Peters, did not attend the hearing.
—Emily Feng, NPR, 13 Mar. 2025
Weaker firms may bridle at the costs of compliance; some will go out of business.
—James K. Galbraith, Foreign Affairs, 14 Jan. 2019
See All Example Sentences for bridle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bridle
Verb
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Organic pesticides can still have environmental impacts because they are designed to control living organisms.—
Anthony Reardon,
Kansas City Star,
4 Apr. 2026
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But the website isn’t full of articles about how the earth is flat or how aliens are controlling our government.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Colorado argued that states have the right to regulate the medical industry as a means of promoting consumer health and safety.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
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Citing a surge in reckless riding and pedestrian close-calls, some South Florida municipalities are launching safety campaigns or passing ordinances to regulate e-bikes on neighborhood streets and sidewalks.—
Cindy Krischer Goodman,
Sun Sentinel,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Back to coal Asian governments are temporarily pivoting to coal as the Iran war chokes off natural gas supplies, undermining years of effort to curb the continent’s dependence on the dirtiest major fuel.—
Nicholas Gordon,
Fortune,
29 Mar. 2026
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There was also research, which Meta eventually halted, implying that people who curbed their use of Facebook became less depressed and anxious.—
Jonathan Vanian,
CNBC,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Keller police have charged a Shady Grove Elementary special education teacher with unlawfully restraining a 4‑year‑old student after investigators corroborated a parent's report with statements from school staff.—
Doug Myers,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
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It was evacuated in Siegburg, not far from Cologne, and federal police said the man was restrained and arrested, German news agency dpa reported.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In addition, motions in which the prosecution opposed mental health diversions for two defendants contained similar errors, Stuart wrote.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
1 Apr. 2026
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The Jumping Branch fire has spread to 275 acres and is only 30% contained, state officials said Tuesday.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The play began with Segovia, who got the ball into the path of Ian Fray, who raced it down and kept it in, and passed it directly to Messi’s head.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
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Inside, one side of the suitcase features a zipped compartment—useful for keeping toiletries and smaller items contained safely—while the other has a robust compression system with a notably sturdy strap and weighty steel buckle.—
Charley Ward,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Not shown in the video is when officers finally tamed the out-of-control boat, Ramos said.—
David Goodhue,
Miami Herald,
29 Mar. 2026
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On the back of helping produce originals for Hollywood, Canadian animation and VFX artists and studios can now provide the type of high-end TV shows and blockbuster movies consumers have come to expect, and without the sky high budgets that major studios and streamers want to tame.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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If someone pushes you to rush, keep your tone measured and propose a reasonable deadline that protects quality and keeps expectations aligned.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
30 Mar. 2026
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The value of home teams that money can’t measure is another.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
29 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bridle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bridle. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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