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.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

in check

Among the 2,700 financial institutions it works with, Nasdaq Verafin caught $1 billion in check fraud in 2025 alone.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 9, 2026

When Trump ran again in 2024, he managed to keep much of that behavior in check.

From Salon ● Jul. 2, 2026

Camel number are kept in check by mustering, shooting and trapping at water points.

From Barron's ● Jun. 28, 2026

To keep costs in check, he is relying on the house-swapping platform HomeExchange.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026

Yet, each time, the magic miraculously held the great beast in check.

From "Half Upon a Time" by James Riley

Related Words

• discreet
• laid-back
• mild
• muted
• reasonable
• reticent
• subdued
• tasteful
• unobtrusive