Meaning & use
control
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Meanings
noununcountable
The power or ability to direct, influence, or restrain someone or something.
Grammar: Often used with of/over: control of costs; not usually a control in this general sense.
Patterns
- take control of something
- have control over someone
- under someone’s control
The manager took control of the project.
Parents try to keep control over screen time.
The region came under government control.
noununcountable
The state of being calm or the ability to restrain emotions, movement, or events.
Grammar: Common in lose/keep control; lose control can mean panic or physical failure.
Patterns
- lose control
- keep control
- bring something under control
She kept control during the difficult interview.
The car skidded because the driver lost control.
Firefighters finally brought the fire under control.
nounusually plural
A device, switch, or set of instruments used to operate a machine or system.
Grammar: As a device it is countable; the panel controls are usually plural, unlike power in the general sense.
Patterns
- remote control
- volume controls
- control panel
The remote control is on the sofa.
The volume controls are on the side.
A red light appeared on the control panel.
nouncountabletechnical
In an experiment, a person, group, or sample used as a baseline for comparison.
Grammar: Countable technical noun: one control group; it is compared with the treated group.
Patterns
- control group
- use a control
- control condition
The control group received no medicine.
Every experiment needs a clear control.
Results were compared with the control condition.
verbtransitive
To direct, operate, or manage the behavior, course, or use of something.
Grammar: Takes an object: control spending; control a machine can mean operate it or restrain it.
Patterns
- control costs
- control a machine
- control the situation
She controls the department budget.
It is hard to control a boat in strong wind.
The app controls the lights in the house.
verbtransitive
To restrain an emotion, habit, disease, or person.
Grammar: Takes an object: control yourself; control a fire means stop it from spreading.
Patterns
- control yourself
- control anger
- control an outbreak
He struggled to control his anger.
Doctors want to control the outbreak quickly.
Please control your dog near the road.
Word forms
| third person singular | controls |
|---|---|
| past tense | controlled |
| past participle | controlled |
| -ing form | controlling |
| plural | controls |
Common combinations
- under control
- The situation is finally under control.
- lose control
- Do not lose control when the plan changes.
- remote control
- The remote control needs new batteries.
- control group
- The control group took a sugar pill.
- quality control
- Quality control checks every package.
Synonyms and how they differ
- authority
- Authority is official power to decide; control can be practical influence even without formal rank.
- command
- Command suggests confident direction, often in teams or military contexts; control is broader.
- restraint
- Restraint fits self-control or limits on behavior, not operating machines or experiments.
Opposites
Word family
- controller noun
- A person or device that controls something.
- controllable adjective
- Able to be controlled.
- uncontrolled adjective
- Not restrained or regulated.
- self-control noun
- The ability to control your own actions and emotions.
Commonly confused: control or check? control or inspect?
control vs check
Check can mean inspect or stop briefly; control usually means ongoing direction or restraint.
control vs inspect
Inspect means to examine carefully; control means to direct or restrain, not merely look.
Practice
In “a control group,” the word control means ______.
Choose one answer.
A control group is the untreated comparison in an experiment; device, calmness, and authority are other senses.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “control”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.