curtail

verb

cur·tail (ˌ)kər-ˈtāl How to pronounce curtail (audio)

curtailed; curtailing; curtails

transitive verb

: to make less by or as if by cutting off or away some part

curtail the power of the executive branch

curtail inflation

Some school activities are being curtailed due to a lack of funds.

curtailer

(ˌ)kər-ˈtā-lər How to pronounce curtail (audio)

noun

Example Sentences

The new laws are an effort to curtail illegal drug use. School activities are being curtailed due to a lack of funds.

Recent Examples on the Web Since taking office, President Biden has ramped up previous U.S. administrations’ efforts to curtail Chinese expansion into the Indian and Pacific Oceans and has rallied countries such as India and Australia to help in that effort.

Niha Masih, Washington Post, 11 Aug. 2022 Plus, food prices are largely unaffected by current government efforts to curtail spiraling costs.

Danielle Wiener-bronner, CNN, 10 Aug. 2022 But efforts to curtail China’s science and technology industries through trade sanctions on companies like Huawei restrict American companies from doing business with Chinese tech firms.

Tommy Shih, The Conversation, 13 July 2022 Across the country, almost all government efforts to curtail the coronavirus have evaporated.

Ed Yong, The Atlantic, 27 June 2022 The unusual provision shows how much power the gun lobby has wielded in the nation’s statehouses to fend off any efforts to curtail access to firearms in the wake of mass shootings.

Los Angeles Times, 26 May 2022 Efforts to curtail the spread of corporate homeownership are slow going at the federal level, too.

New York Times, 23 Apr. 2022 Environmentalists are challenging the proposal, saying adding fossil fuel-burning facilities would undermine efforts to curtail greenhouse gases warming the planet.

Jon Schuppe, NBC News, 9 Apr. 2022 Now Act, which would dramatically accelerate efforts around the state to curtail use of fossil fuels and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Scott Dance, Baltimore Sun, 28 Mar. 2022 See More

curtail

verb

as in to shorten

to make less in extent or duration curtailed the school day because of the stormy weather

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

shorten
abridge
reduce
truncate
elide
abbreviate
cut back
decrease
trim
dock
constrict
syncopate
compress
summarize
pare
encapsulate
modify
retrench
lessen
digest
recapitulate
diminish
cut down
prune
epitomize
cut
moderate
sum up
abate
slash
abstract
downsize
shrink
taper
dwindle
contract
lower
deflate
de-escalate
subtract (from)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

extend
prolong
lengthen
expand
elongate
increase
supplement
enlarge
protract
augment
add
maximize
heighten
amplify
escalate
raise
boost
dilate
inflate
swell
aggrandize
distend
blow up
balloon
pump up

Synonym Chooser

Some common synonyms of curtail are abbreviate, abridge, retrench, and shorten. While all these words mean "to reduce in extent," curtail adds an implication of cutting that in some way deprives of completeness or adequacy.

ceremonies curtailed because of rain

The synonyms abbreviate and curtail are sometimes interchangeable, but abbreviate implies a making shorter usually by omitting some part.

using an abbreviated title

The words abridge and curtail are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, abridge implies a reduction in compass or scope with retention of essential elements and a relative completeness in the result.

the abridged version of the novel

The words retrench and curtail can be used in similar contexts, but retrench suggests a reduction in extent or costs of something felt to be excessive.

declining business forced the company to retrench

The meanings of shorten and curtail largely overlap; however, shorten implies reduction in length or duration.

shorten a speech

单词	curtail
释义	curtail verb cur·tail (ˌ)kər-ˈtāl curtailed; curtailing; curtails transitive verb : to make less by or as if by cutting off or away some part curtail the power of the executive branch curtail inflation Some school activities are being curtailed due to a lack of funds. curtailer (ˌ)kər-ˈtā-lər noun Synonyms abbreviate abridge cut back dock elide shorten syncopate truncate See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences The new laws are an effort to curtail illegal drug use. School activities are being curtailed due to a lack of funds. Recent Examples on the Web Since taking office, President Biden has ramped up previous U.S. administrations’ efforts to curtail Chinese expansion into the Indian and Pacific Oceans and has rallied countries such as India and Australia to help in that effort. Niha Masih, Washington Post, 11 Aug. 2022 Plus, food prices are largely unaffected by current government efforts to curtail spiraling costs. Danielle Wiener-bronner, CNN, 10 Aug. 2022 But efforts to curtail China’s science and technology industries through trade sanctions on companies like Huawei restrict American companies from doing business with Chinese tech firms. Tommy Shih, The Conversation, 13 July 2022 Across the country, almost all government efforts to curtail the coronavirus have evaporated. Ed Yong, The Atlantic, 27 June 2022 The unusual provision shows how much power the gun lobby has wielded in the nation’s statehouses to fend off any efforts to curtail access to firearms in the wake of mass shootings. Los Angeles Times, 26 May 2022 Efforts to curtail the spread of corporate homeownership are slow going at the federal level, too. New York Times, 23 Apr. 2022 Environmentalists are challenging the proposal, saying adding fossil fuel-burning facilities would undermine efforts to curtail greenhouse gases warming the planet. Jon Schuppe, NBC News, 9 Apr. 2022 Now Act, which would dramatically accelerate efforts around the state to curtail use of fossil fuels and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Scott Dance, Baltimore Sun, 28 Mar. 2022 See More Word History Etymology by folk etymology from earlier curtal to dock an animal's tail, from curtal, noun, animal with a docked tail, from Middle French courtault — more at curtal First Known Use 1580, in the meaning defined above Kids Definition curtail verb cur·tail ˌkər-ˈtāl curtailed; curtailing : to shorten or reduce by cutting off the end or a part of I had to curtail my speech. curtail verb as in to shorten to make less in extent or duration curtailed the school day because of the stormy weather Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance shorten abridge reduce truncate elide abbreviate cut back decrease trim dock constrict syncopate compress summarize pare encapsulate modify retrench lessen digest recapitulate diminish cut down prune epitomize cut moderate sum up abate slash abstract downsize shrink taper dwindle contract lower deflate de-escalate subtract (from) Antonyms & Near Antonyms extend prolong lengthen expand elongate increase supplement enlarge protract augment add maximize heighten amplify escalate raise boost dilate inflate swell aggrandize distend blow up balloon pump up See More Synonym Chooser Some common synonyms of curtail are abbreviate, abridge, retrench, and shorten. While all these words mean "to reduce in extent," curtail adds an implication of cutting that in some way deprives of completeness or adequacy. ceremonies curtailed because of rain The synonyms abbreviate and curtail are sometimes interchangeable, but abbreviate implies a making shorter usually by omitting some part. using an abbreviated title The words abridge and curtail are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, abridge implies a reduction in compass or scope with retention of essential elements and a relative completeness in the result. the abridged version of the novel The words retrench and curtail can be used in similar contexts, but retrench suggests a reduction in extent or costs of something felt to be excessive. declining business forced the company to retrench The meanings of shorten and curtail largely overlap; however, shorten implies reduction in length or duration. shorten a speech
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curtail

verb

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Kids Definition

verb

verb

Synonym Chooser