CONTROLLING Synonyms: 154 Similar and Opposite Words

controlling 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of controlling

as in domineering

Related Words

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Dissimilar Words

as in dominating

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

controlling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of control

as in regulating

to keep from exceeding a desirable degree or level (as of expression) you must learn to control your temper

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in containing

to gain emotional or mental control of he controlled himself only with the greatest difficulty in the face of his opponent's insulting remarks

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in governing

to exercise authority or power over circumstances often control the choices we make in life

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in managing

to look after and make decisions about during the period that she controlled the company it was highly profitable

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 controlling

Adjective

ByteDance keeps a non-controlling stake to comply with federal law. — Jon Markman, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026 According to those close to the family, József was extremely controlling and would often make terrifying threats. — Maddie Garfinkle, PEOPLE, 18 Apr. 2026

Verb

Jeanie was selected by her father, Jerry Buss, to serve as the team’s controlling governor after his death in 2013. — Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026 In The Beekeeper 2, Clay is a wanted man pulled back into the fight when the Beekeeper organization goes rogue and sets its sights on controlling the government. — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for controlling

Recent Examples of Synonyms for controlling

Adjective

Sources said Gunning plays Annie, a quietly dutiful wife who has sacrificed her ambitions to raise four sons under her domineering husband, Duncan.

— Matt Grobar, Deadline, 9 Sep. 2026
Fern proves himself as a true actor’s director, offering plum roles to Paulson, Watts and two-time Oscar winner Dianne Wiest as their chaotic and domineering mother.

— David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of domineering

Verb

Witch fever, by this point in history, had become a mechanism for brutally regulating and disciplining female behavior, and doing so intergenerationally.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Oct. 2026
Skill game machines are disappearing from businesses and private clubs across Pennsylvania after lawmakers failed to pass legislation regulating them before the state's deadline.

— Madeleine Wright, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of regulating

Verb

Instead of exchanging the entire print head, the K3 swaps a smaller assembly containing the nozzle, hotend and filament path.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 17 Oct. 2026
An anonymous security engineer on OpenAI’s agent security team argued in a recent post that containing models had become too complex.

— Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of containing

Verb

Commercial licensing, confidentiality, the protection of original production materials and the terms governing third-party AI tools are all important considerations in our approach.

— Kevin Giraud, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
The other two judges, Kelly and Tymkovich, concluded the NCAA made a sufficient showing under the factors governing stays pending appeal, including on the merits and irreparable harm.

— Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of governing

Verb

Positioning the commercial arm of the 100-year-old BBC for a streaming future while managing the traditional linear channels that still do great business in many international territories.

— Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2026
Years later, there’s still work to be done managing a film’s intellectual property rights and corporate vehicles.

— Kim Jackson, IndieWire, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of managing

Adjective

My hope is tenuous, grasping; scar tissue from 108 years of futility is never fully salved.

— Stephen J. Nesbitt, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2026
In this war lawyers invariably are depicted as soulless and grasping ambulance-chasers unconcerned about their clients’ welfare, and businesses as, well, soulless, grasping and unconcerned about their customers.

— Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2026

Definition of grasping

Adjective

Davis’ ability to reflect and respond with his pithy probing of the disagreeing chord turned chaos into something cogent.

— Steven D. Reske, Chicago Tribune, 24 May 2026
DeMaio has built his own particularly cogent political organization in San Diego Republican circles, according to previous reporting by CalMatters.

— Andrew Graham May 15, Sacbee.com, 16 May 2026

Definition of cogent

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Style

“Controlling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/controlling. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of controlling

adjective

verb

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