remote control

American  

noun

• remote controls
  plural

1. control of the operation or performance of an apparatus from a distance, as the control of a guided missile by radio signals.

2. Also called remote. a device used to control the operation of an apparatus or machine, as a television set, from a distance.

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remote control British  

noun

1. control of a system or activity by a person at a different place, usually by means of radio or ultrasonic signals or by electrical signals transmitted by wire

2. Also:: remote. a hand-held device that enables remote control of a system or appliance

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• remote-control
  adjective
• remote-controlled
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• remote controls
  plural

Etymology

Origin of remote control

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

remote control

"That momentary satisfaction, when you have taken revenge by taking the remote control into your own hands and seen the results of your work with your own eyes."

From Barron's ● Jun. 10, 2026

The race penalized the completion times of those relying on constant human remote control, including one that finished the race in under 50 minutes, according to the organizer.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 20, 2026

This year, rules were “optimized,” according to the Beijing Town website, with entries running either by autonomous navigation or remote control.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 20, 2026

When he said he needed to take remote control of my computer, I knew I was talking to scammers, not PayPal.

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 25, 2026

She’d buried two water bowls, a TV remote control, a pizza box, a ziplock bag of Legos, three Frisbees, and two of my homework folders there.

From "Crenshaw" by Katherine Applegate