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.
Tesla and SpaceX are also in early talks to combine into a company that would likely be heavily controlled by Musk, giving rise to what some have called “Elon, Inc.”
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 5, 2026
However, controlled clinical trials have not yet provided sufficient evidence to establish how reliably the treatment works.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 5, 2026
But after three years of war, prices have soared as aid and commercial supplies trickled into Gaza through crossings tightly controlled by Israel.
From Barron's ● Nov. 5, 2026
For the last goal, it's a long throw and the first phase is controlled but after a very long ball, Muriqi wins it.
From BBC ● Nov. 4, 2026
What if there were five genes that governed height, say, or seven genes that controlled the shape of a nose?
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
