1
as in helm
the place of leadership or command
after the president resigned, the vice president stepped in and took the reins of the company
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in power
the right or means to command or control others
a peaceful transfer of the reins of government has always been a hallmark of our nation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of reins
Alexei Oreskovic, Fortune, 4 Feb. 2026
The plot follows a visionary billionaire (Kapoor) who grooms a rising tycoon (Vijay Varma) to take over the reins of India’s largest conglomerate as his successor, only to unceremoniously fire his protege a few months into the job.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 3 Feb. 2026
The lightning rod former New York Times opinion columnist was handed the reins at CBS News in October.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Feb. 2026
In the United States, the states are legislating and enforcing their own AI rules even as the federal government in 2025 moved to prevent state action and loosen the reins.
—IEEE Spectrum, 2 Feb. 2026
In 1987, Talbott handed the reins as political editor to former Tribune political writer and columnist Steve Neal, and Talbott became chief political columnist.
—Bob Goldsborough, Chicago Tribune, 30 Jan. 2026
When that failed, Riley handed the reins of his defense — and a massive paycheck — to the crosstown rival’s rising star … who then left two years later.
—Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2026
Those reins would include more de-escalation training for ICE and Customs and Border Patrol agents and oversight of detention facilities.
—Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 22 Jan. 2026
Now, both Disco Time and Tappan Street (8-1) are healthy at the same time and poised to do battle in the Pegasus, with jockey Flavien Prat set to handle the reins on Disco Time and Luis Saez assigned riding duties on Tappan Street.
—Clark Spencer, Miami Herald, 22 Jan. 2026
Noun
It was all carefully managed by Disney after its messy changeover in 2020, when Bob Iger handed the reins to Bob Chapek only to reclaim his job two years later.
—Alexei Oreskovic, Fortune, 4 Feb. 2026
The plot follows a visionary billionaire (Kapoor) who grooms a rising tycoon (Vijay Varma) to take over the reins of India’s largest conglomerate as his successor, only to unceremoniously fire his protege a few months into the job.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 3 Feb. 2026
The lightning rod former New York Times opinion columnist was handed the reins at CBS News in October.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Feb. 2026
In the United States, the states are legislating and enforcing their own AI rules even as the federal government in 2025 moved to prevent state action and loosen the reins.
—IEEE Spectrum, 2 Feb. 2026
In 1987, Talbott handed the reins as political editor to former Tribune political writer and columnist Steve Neal, and Talbott became chief political columnist.
—Bob Goldsborough, Chicago Tribune, 30 Jan. 2026
When that failed, Riley handed the reins of his defense — and a massive paycheck — to the crosstown rival’s rising star … who then left two years later.
—Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2026
Those reins would include more de-escalation training for ICE and Customs and Border Patrol agents and oversight of detention facilities.
—Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 22 Jan. 2026
Now, both Disco Time and Tappan Street (8-1) are healthy at the same time and poised to do battle in the Pegasus, with jockey Flavien Prat set to handle the reins on Disco Time and Luis Saez assigned riding duties on Tappan Street.
—Clark Spencer, Miami Herald, 22 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reins
Noun
-
The French chef — who has spent the past five years as the culinary director for the restaurant group behind Georgie, Knox Bistro, Le Bilboquet and others — is now fully at the restaurant’s helm and is rolling out a new menu, which will reshape Georgie into a destination for French cuisine.—
Claire Ballor
Staff Reporter,
Dallas Morning News,
11 Feb. 2026
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Camper helms production on the track, laying down a soulful canvas for Monét’s honeyed vocals to glide over.—
Michael Saponara,
Billboard,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Food and drink Onsite restaurant L’Escale is just as much a Greenwich institution as the hotel itself—a proper entity conveniently attached at the hip to your lodging for power lunchers in daylight, special-occasion diners in the evening, and a rotating cast of Hopper subjects always at the bar.—
Charlie Hobbs,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 Feb. 2026
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Republicans often couched their fury at speech restrictions — around right-wing cultural politics and COVID-19, in particular — as part of a broader critique of corporate power.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Chock and Bates, sitting next to the kiss-and-cry in white arm chairs reserved for the current leaders, clapped politely.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Hogg, who had a brief and tumultuous stint as a DNC co–vice chair in early 2025, is contemptuous of the party’s lingering cohort of elder leaders.—
Mark Leibovich,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
According to projections made at the December meeting, that’s only about half a percentage point from the committee consensus on the neutral rate, or one that neither supports nor restrains growth.—
Jeff Cox,
CNBC,
5 Jan. 2026
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There are also possible free speech claims if the law restrains NIL opportunities and interferes with First Amendment freedom of expression.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
9 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Carolyn switches her nail color from a bold red to a blander shade; John hobbles out of his George magazine office wearing a cast on his left ankle due to a paragliding accident.—
Chris Murphy,
Vanity Fair,
20 Jan. 2026
-
Kittle hobbles off the field George Kittle limped off the field late in the third quarter with an ankle injury amid a productive night.—
Chris Biderman,
Sacbee.com,
23 Dec. 2025
Verb
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But this unit is two plays — or better yet, two injuries — from being a disaster that handcuffs Miami’s offense, like last year’s unit did, after Grier laughed at the media for its concern about fragile state of the 2024 O-line.—
Omar Kelly
August 19,
Miami Herald,
19 Aug. 2025
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At the crash site, some of the rescuers find Morrow, who holds them at gunpoint and handcuffs them together in the lab.—
Dave Nemetz,
TVLine,
12 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Secrets that could take down a company, an industry; that's a bond that tethers you for life.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Dec. 2025
-
The nature of my work tethers me to London.—
Rohan Banerjee,
Time,
23 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
To address this, Ivo uses a multi-step pipeline that chains together more than 400 model calls for each contract review.—
Charlie Fink,
Forbes.com,
20 Jan. 2026
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Tokyo Central is owned by Japanese company Pan Pacific Retail Management, which also runs the grocery chains Gelson’s and Don Quijote.—
John Metcalfe,
Mercury News,
3 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Reins.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reins. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.
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