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Synonyms

put the kibosh on

Idioms  

  1. Restrain or check something, as in The rain put the kibosh on our beach party, or The boss put the kibosh on the whole project. The word kibosh has been used in English since the first half of the 1800s and its origin is unknown.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Erica Donald, Aaron’s wife of four years and mother of two children, did her best to put the kibosh on such speculation in a 16-second video Sunday.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 9, 2024

Even at that, a federal study on physical education in the 1920s put the kibosh on girls basketball in some areas of the state.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 12, 2024

His former associates, however, have other ideas; and when Samir is forced to put the kibosh on one of them, his only remaining option is to flee.

From New York Times • Jan. 4, 2024

However, the 2023 independent review board put the kibosh on that, finding that this mission cannot be accomplished in the needed time frame for the available budget.

From Scientific American • Oct. 30, 2023

My solemn vow: should Capricorn Anderson put the kibosh on my chances with Josh Weintraub, not even Mother’s social worker training could save him.

From "Schooled" by Gordon Korman

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.