controlled
Americanadjective
-
held in check; curbed.
poorly controlled anger.
-
carefully regulated, tested, or verified.
a controlled experiment.
-
(of a drug) restricted by law as to possession and use.
Morphine is a controlled drug.
Etymology
Origin of controlled
First recorded in 1580–90; control ( def. ) + -ed 2 ( def. )
Explanation
Something that's controlled is kept in check or restrained. Your controlled laughter in math class won't get you in trouble, because it's muted and calm. Some people really blow their stacks when they get angry, while others express a controlled anger, calmly explaining their frustration. The ability to keep your emotions controlled is a useful one. A different meaning of controlled is "restricted by law," — many medications and drugs are classified as "controlled substances. The root of both controlled and control is the Latin contrarotulus, "a register, counter, or record of something."
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.
He once enjoyed regular travel to Europe, including estates in Spain controlled by members of his family, according to documents leaked from financial firms in 2021 known as the Pandora Papers.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 6, 2026
Democrats, who controlled both houses of Congress, passed the Economic Stabilization Act of 1970, which gave the Republican president the power to stabilize prices, rents, wages, interest rates, and dividends.
From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026
Published in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal Open Forum, the new study combined findings from 16 systematic reviews, 113 randomized controlled trials, and nearly 8,000 participants from around the world.
From Science Daily • Jun. 5, 2026
Pasadena officials are warning that residents may hear helicopters, controlled explosions and simulated weapons fire as the U.S. military conducts a training exercise in the northeast area of the city Wednesday night.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 4, 2026
Their accusers tended to be wealthier individuals who controlled local institutions or had ties to the national government, and were sometimes even the women’s landlords or employers.
From "An Indigenous People’s History of the United States" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
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.
