1
as in controllers
a mechanism for adjusting the operation of a device, machine, or system
the controls for the player are well marked
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in hands
the ability to direct the course of something
after the tail fell off, the plane went out of the pilot's control firefighters keeping control of the blaze
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in operations
the act or activity of looking after and making decisions about something
control of manufacturing operations was given to a new manager with fresh ideas
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in powers
the right or means to command or control others
teachers are responsible for the students under their control
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in regulates
to keep from exceeding a desirable degree or level (as of expression)
you must learn to control your temper
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in contains
to gain emotional or mental control of
he controlled himself only with the greatest difficulty in the face of his opponent's insulting remarks
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in rules
to exercise authority or power over
circumstances often control the choices we make in life
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in operates
to look after and make decisions about
during the period that she controlled the company it was highly profitable
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of controls
Michael McGough 14, Sacbee.com, 14 Feb. 2026
Tax changes should be considered only after cost controls and efficiency improvements are evaluated, with full public disclosure and input before final decisions are made.
—Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
Last month, the Senate passed legislation calling for more controls over voucher spending, such as assigning a state ID number to all students, but the House has yet to take it up.
—Lawrence Mower, Miami Herald, 13 Feb. 2026
Others argue that too-stringent export controls merely hand the market over to Chinese competitors.
—Morgan Chalfant, semafor.com, 11 Feb. 2026
In an interview with SJ Denim last year, ZDHC said its position is that potassium permanganate must never be used without appropriate engineering controls and workers must always use appropriate personal protective equipment.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 11 Feb. 2026
Rent has also shot up as Milei unwinds price controls.
—Isabel Debre, Fortune, 11 Feb. 2026
In China, once a major market for Nvidia, US tech controls have restricted exports of its cutting-edge chips, significantly impacting sales in the world’s second largest economy.
—Rosa De Acosta, CNN Money, 7 Feb. 2026
Recent sightings of Cybercab have revealed a car with a steering wheel and a driver in the front seat, apparently using pedals and other driver controls.
—Andrea Guzmán, Austin American Statesman, 7 Feb. 2026
Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 8 Feb. 2026
Appian co-founder CEO, chairman, and president Matthew Calkins controls about 39% of the voting power, two of the other three founders are on the nine-person board with many other directors being former employees of Appian or having relationships with Calkins.
—Kenneth Squire, CNBC, 7 Feb. 2026
While his family controls the company, Technogym is publicly listed in Italy.
—Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 6 Feb. 2026
Grace has one chance to survive, keep her sister alive, and claim the High Seat of the Council that controls the world.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 5 Feb. 2026
The Republican governor’s decision leaves a vacancy on the board that controls Kansas City’s police department.
—Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 5 Feb. 2026
The real issue is who controls the keys.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 5 Feb. 2026
The lowest layer controls the robot’s joints.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 5 Feb. 2026
Find the water shutoff valve inside your home that controls the spigot, and turn it off.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 5 Feb. 2026
Noun
Mountain travel was highly discouraged, according to the weather service, with snow reducing visibility, causing major delays and prompting chain controls likely on Interstate 80 and other mountain passes.
—Michael McGough 14, Sacbee.com, 14 Feb. 2026
Tax changes should be considered only after cost controls and efficiency improvements are evaluated, with full public disclosure and input before final decisions are made.
—Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
Last month, the Senate passed legislation calling for more controls over voucher spending, such as assigning a state ID number to all students, but the House has yet to take it up.
—Lawrence Mower, Miami Herald, 13 Feb. 2026
Others argue that too-stringent export controls merely hand the market over to Chinese competitors.
—Morgan Chalfant, semafor.com, 11 Feb. 2026
In an interview with SJ Denim last year, ZDHC said its position is that potassium permanganate must never be used without appropriate engineering controls and workers must always use appropriate personal protective equipment.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 11 Feb. 2026
Rent has also shot up as Milei unwinds price controls.
—Isabel Debre, Fortune, 11 Feb. 2026
In China, once a major market for Nvidia, US tech controls have restricted exports of its cutting-edge chips, significantly impacting sales in the world’s second largest economy.
—Rosa De Acosta, CNN Money, 7 Feb. 2026
Recent sightings of Cybercab have revealed a car with a steering wheel and a driver in the front seat, apparently using pedals and other driver controls.
—Andrea Guzmán, Austin American Statesman, 7 Feb. 2026
Verb
As more of the efforts face legal challenges, courts could indirectly dictate who controls the House of Representatives next year based on which hyper-partisan maps are allowed to be installed ahead of midterm elections.
—Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 8 Feb. 2026
Appian co-founder CEO, chairman, and president Matthew Calkins controls about 39% of the voting power, two of the other three founders are on the nine-person board with many other directors being former employees of Appian or having relationships with Calkins.
—Kenneth Squire, CNBC, 7 Feb. 2026
While his family controls the company, Technogym is publicly listed in Italy.
—Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 6 Feb. 2026
Grace has one chance to survive, keep her sister alive, and claim the High Seat of the Council that controls the world.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 5 Feb. 2026
The Republican governor’s decision leaves a vacancy on the board that controls Kansas City’s police department.
—Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 5 Feb. 2026
The real issue is who controls the keys.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 5 Feb. 2026
The lowest layer controls the robot’s joints.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 5 Feb. 2026
Find the water shutoff valve inside your home that controls the spigot, and turn it off.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 5 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for controls
Noun
-
The glowing grid, created in 1999 by French artist Pierre Huyghe, connects to handheld game controllers on a table below.—
Jim Geraghty,
Washington Post,
10 Feb. 2026
-
However, SpaceX claims that its Stargaze system was able to provide a new trajectory projection that allowed controllers to maneuver the Starlink bird out of the danger zone.—
David Szondy
February 07,
New Atlas,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
And while their steamy, sweaty dalliances are hot and heavy (albeit mostly clothed), most swoonworthy are the smaller moments, like Heathcliff gently cupping his hands to keep the rain out of Cathy’s eyes.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Dodds and Mouat, who entered the field as favorites, shook hands with the Wrana siblings with one end still to play.—
JULIA FRANKEL,
Arkansas Online,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
But the shutdown will not halt Immigration and Customs Enforcement or Customs and Border Protection operations because Republicans in Congress sent those agencies tens of millions of dollars in extra funding last year.—
Riley Beggin,
Arkansas Online,
14 Feb. 2026
-
The incident came to light after two DEA whistleblowers accused the agency of failing to address the allegations involving corruption in its Haiti operations.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
By letter filed with the Commission, the Manager shall designate a qualified City Administrative Officer to exercise his powers and perform the duties of Manager during his/her temporary absence or disability.—
Mike Hernández,
Sun Sentinel,
13 Feb. 2026
-
That’s the sort of idyllic vision our political powers-that-be and tech overlords fear more than anything.—
Alphonse Pierre,
Pitchfork,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
This is unacceptable from the nation’s aviation safety regulator and points to deeper structural problems within the FAA, which provides air traffic control services and regulates them.—
Marc Scribner,
Oc Register,
8 Feb. 2026
-
The tuber also provides vitamin C, which acts as an antioxidant, and fiber, which aids digestion, boosts satiety, and regulates blood sugar.—
Kirsten Nunez,
Martha Stewart,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
China has laid out an ambitious lunar plan to land astronauts on the moon before 2030, targeting the south pole, which contains water ice and other resources critical for long-term lunar exploration and settlement.—
Sharmila Kuthunur,
Space.com,
8 Feb. 2026
-
This all-important ingredient contains nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium (NPK), and promotes healthy, strong growth.—
Helena Madden,
Martha Stewart,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
For people that are not tracking what that actually means, that means that ICE can do almost no arrests in the entire country … If a court rules that there’s a final order of removal, they’re removed actually by an administrative warrant, not a judicial warrant.—
Morgan Chalfant,
semafor.com,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Judge rules federal prosecutors can't seek death penalty Mangione, 27, is facing both federal and state charges in the 2024 killing of Thompson.—
Alexa Herrera,
CBS News,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The DeKalb County Sheriff's Office, which operates the jail, declined to comment citing pending litigation.—
N'dea Yancey-Bragg,
USA Today,
8 Feb. 2026
-
The organization operates in 44 countries and all 50 states, reaching roughly a million people a year.—
Lance Reynolds,
Boston Herald,
8 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Controls.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/controls. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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