rein 1 of 2

noun

ˈrān How to pronounce rein (audio)
Definition of reinnext
1
as in helm
usually reins plural the place of leadership or command after the president resigned, the vice president stepped in and took the reins of the company

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in restriction
the act or practice of keeping something (as an activity) within certain boundaries the oversight committee called on the state to keep a much tighter rein on the activities of its contractors

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3
as in power
usually reins plural the right or means to command or control others a peaceful transfer of the reins of government has always been a hallmark of our nation

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rein

2 of 2

verb

as in to restrain

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of rein
Noun
Handing McAtee the reins The 3-4-2-1 formation Forest have played with throughout pre-season will be familiar to Palace fans. — Paul Taylor, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026 Enter Lee, who became Carlyle’s co-CEO in 2018 and took the full reins after Youngkin launched his campaign for Virginia governor. — Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 20 Aug. 2026
Verb
Who, if anyone, can stop this guy—rein him in politically or economically? — Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 3 July 2026 The efforts to rein them in include increasingly complex regulatory hurdles, legal scrutiny, and threats to funding. — Michael Posner, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for rein
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rein
  1. helm
  2. restriction
  3. power
  4. restrain
  5. chair
  6. limitation
  7. curb
  8. constrain
Noun
  • Parent company Gap announced yesterday that customer chief Michael Francis will take over in November for Haio Barbeito, who has been at Old Navy's helm since 2022.
    — Alex Harring, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • He is next scheduled to helm Treasure Island from a script by Adolescence co-creator Jack Thorne, with Hugh Jackman starring in the feature based on Robert Louis Stevenson’s work.
    — Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of helm
Noun
  • Those restrictions formally sunset in 2022, but so far only Sony has done a major deal for cinemas, acquiring all 35 Alamo Drafthouse locations in 2024.
    — Sarah Whitten, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • And at the state level, Assemblymember Diane Papan (D-San Mateo) in February introduced AB 2595, which would allow San Mateo County to impose age restrictions for e-bike riders under 12 years old in its jurisdiction.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of restriction
Noun
  • As Itauma continued attempting to throw power punches, Hrgović knew his opponent had nothing left and went for the kill.
    — Sarah Shephard, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The last act before festival founder Olivia Rodrigo, Roan turned it out with all of her powers—bolstered by a bold and bitchy, razor-sharp bob.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of power
Verb
  • Appropriately so, given the placid recent range and the clockwork mechanics of sector rotation and low-correlation restraining index-level volatility.
    — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026
  • This was the context for Justice Brewer’s remarks about Philip sober restraining Philip drunk.
    — Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of restrain
Noun
  • Despite its rural Republican reputation, people were thrilled to see him, said Adrienne Quinn Martin, chair of the Hood County Democratic Party.
    — Eleanor Dearman Updated August 29, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Critics say her tenure as chair hasn’t adequately met the moment.
    — Sandra McDonald, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of chair
Noun
  • The approach is designed around the limitations of small aerial vehicles, where additional weight and continuous motor operation can quickly drain a battery.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Financial constraints might have prevented Jarmond from firing Kelly sooner, but those limitations didn’t prevent him from extending Kelly’s contract in 2023.
    — Mirjam Swanson, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of limitation
Verb
  • Former President Jimmy Carter in 1977 proposed a legislative plan to curb rising hospital costs.
    — Stephanie Armour, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Flock last week set out a new set of guardrails intended to curb abuse of its system, including advocating for a seven-day data retention policy for its customers.
    — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of curb
Verb
  • Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the government could not allow the American military to be constrained or told how to use its tools by a private company and in February took the unprecedented step of labeling Anthropic a supply chain risk.
    — Hadas Gold, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Depleted underground aquifers and limits on the state’s draw of water from Lake Michigan could constrain data center growth.
    — David Greising, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of constrain

Phrases Containing rein

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reimposing
rein
reincarnation
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Cite this Entry

“Rein.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rein. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on rein

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about rein

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