CONTROLS Synonyms: 196 Similar and Opposite Words

controls 1 of 2

noun

Definition of controls next

plural of control

as in controllers

a mechanism for adjusting the operation of a device, machine, or system the controls for the player are well marked

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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

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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

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as in powers

the right or means to command or control others teachers are responsible for the students under their control

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controls

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of control

as in regulates

to keep from exceeding a desirable degree or level (as of expression) you must learn to control your temper

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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

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as in rules

to exercise authority or power over circumstances often control the choices we make in life

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as in operates

to look after and make decisions about during the period that she controlled the company it was highly profitable

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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 controls

Noun

There was no overarching policy, no time limits for its use in the classroom, and the safety controls were leaky. —

Abby McCloskey, Boston Herald, 5 Apr. 2026 Throughput increases, operational strain decreases, and the environment begins to function as an integrated system rather than a patchwork of manual controls. —

Alex Israel, Fortune, 4 Apr. 2026 Sampson, the Republican lawmaker on the Government Oversight Committee, said the state’s current struggle to obtain information about how nearly $2 million in state grant funds were spent highlights the need for stricter controls on how earmarks are allocated. —

Andrew Brown, Hartford Courant, 3 Apr. 2026 The highest doping controls were in hockey, cross-country skiing, biathlon, speed skating and alpine skiing, the agency said. —

Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 3 Apr. 2026 Further, aggressive price controls could dampen future PrEP innovation. —

Michael Rose, STAT, 3 Apr. 2026 Return to Earth and splashdown After the lunar flyby, the crew will spend several days heading back to Earth while continuing to conduct deep-space tests, including evaluations of power systems, thermal controls, and crew operations far beyond low Earth orbit. —

Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026 However, previous rounds of export controls allowed sales of older, lower-grade machines that perform deep ultraviolet immersion lithography (DUV), which are capable of manufacturing very advanced — but not the most advanced — chips. —

Jared Perlo, NBC news, 2 Apr. 2026 Nearly 90% Floridians want some controls on AI, a University of North Florida poll found. —

Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 2 Apr. 2026

Verb

Why wasn't the White House able to get both parties – both heads of the party the president controls on the same page? —

CBS News, 29 Mar. 2026 Who controls what regions of the moon? —

Space.com Staff, Space.com, 28 Mar. 2026 Who controls the biggest plot of land in Hollywood now? —

Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 27 Mar. 2026 His political party, Fidesz, now controls most universities, the civil service, the high courts, and, through a network of oligarchs, almost all newspapers and broadcasters, as well as about a fifth of the economy, according to independent economists. —

Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2026 The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee, which controls the majority of the agency’s funding, has not pursued providing Idaho State Police with additional money to address the issue. —

Sally Krutzig, Idaho Statesman, 27 Mar. 2026 The Communist Party of Nepal (Unified ⁠Marxist-Leninist) of Oli, who was forced to resign after the Gen Z unrest, controls 25 members. —

Reuters, NBC news, 27 Mar. 2026 Republicans are at a disadvantage, based on historical results, facing a midterm election in which their party holds the presidency and controls Congress. —

Paul Egan, Freep.com, 27 Mar. 2026 In the new sequel, Grace teams with her estranged younger sister, Faith (Kathryn Newton), as they’re hunted by four elite families full of murderous jerks scrambling to become the High Seat of a Council that controls the world. —

Brian Truitt, USA Today, 21 Mar. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for controls

Noun

At the same time, the mission will test flight controllers and procedures needed to safely send astronauts back to the moon for long-duration stays as NASA makes plans for a future moon base.

— William Harwood, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
Mission controllers will track communications and navigation performance.

— Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026