reins (in)

verb

Definition of reins (in)next
present tense third-person singular of rein (in)
as in contains
to keep from exceeding a desirable degree or level (as of expression) try to rein in your spending, so you have some money left for saving

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for reins (in)
  1. contains
  2. controls
  3. regulates
  4. keeps
  5. restrains
Verb
  • If the brain’s primary goal is to reduce prediction error, this way of being contains a trap.
    — Maia Szalavitz, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The origin story of Silicon Valley contains two contradictions.
    — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of contains
Verb
  • But physicists have long suspected that at a subatomic level, there is a something that inherently controls how fast these changes can occur.
    — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2026
  • In fact, as Darman tutored me, the staff secretary sees and controls all information that goes to the President.
    — Bob Woodward, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of controls
Verb
  • The medications work by blocking certain chemical messengers in the part of the brain that regulates body temperature and manages sleep/wake cycles, according to the guidance.
    — Shannon Firth, NPR, 16 Oct. 2026
  • That finding is now being read against a parallel body of research on circadian rhythm, the 24-hour internal clock that regulates eating, sleeping and other physiological processes.
    — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of regulates
Verb
  • Highly possible, yet the USA keeps assuring Ukranian leaders that the support of the United States is with them.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026
  • One of cosmology’s greatest mysteries is the nature of dark energy—the invisible force that keeps the universe expanding at an ever-increasing rate.
    — Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of keeps
Verb
  • Farther down, the levee that restrains the rivers is a low line of trees into the horizon.
    — Sean Macaday, Sacbee.com, 20 Sep. 2026
  • The constitutional exclusionary rule restrains government, not private parties, so the Fourth Amendment generally does not bar evidence wrongfully obtained by a private actor.
    — Jihun Joun, The Conversation, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of restrains
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.

Browse Nearby Words

reins
reins (in)
reinspect
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Reins (in).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reins%20%28in%29. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of jilt

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All