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Synonyms

in check

Idioms  

  1. Restrained from moving or acting; under control. For example, The first division held the enemy in check, or Mary kept her emotions in check. This term replaced at check and out of check, which date from the mid-1500s.

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.

Warsh draws a parallel to Alan Greenspan’s decision in the late 1990s External link to let the economy run hot, trusting that productivity gains would keep inflation in check.

From Barron's • Apr. 24, 2026

Recognizing this, some oncologists have begun administering drugs with restraint rather than abandon, aiming to keep the cancer in check rather than creating conditions that predispose to the rapid growth of resistant cells.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 20, 2026

Scotland's Robert MacIntyre insists he is not fazed by criticism of his behaviour at the Masters, but says he is working to keep his emotions in check.

From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026

The bottom line: Keep your pessimism in check.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 6, 2026

America's nuclear gambit had kept Stalin in check, but the crisis in Berlin underscored the need to anticipate the USSR's next move.

From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau

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.