curb
To control or hold back something so that it does not get out of hand.
curb in a sentence
- Mum tried to curb our screen time during the holidays.
- The new rules aim to curb litter on the beach.
Try an 11+ style question
Verbal reasoning papers often ask about a word like this.
Which word is closest in meaning to curb?
- Afree
- Brelease
- Cencourage
- Drestrain
Show the answer
D: restrain. The other three mean the opposite of curb.
Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to curb?
- Aencourage
- Blimit
- Ccontrol
- Drestrain
Show the answer
A: encourage. The other three mean nearly the same as curb.
Words that mean something similar
restrain, control, limit
Words that mean the opposite
encourage, release, free
More words about behaviour & manners
- custom: A way of doing something that people have followed for a long time.
- deceit: The act of tricking someone by lying or hiding the truth.
- deceive: To trick someone into believing something that is not true.
- decline: To politely say no to something you have been offered.
- dedicate: To give your time and effort to something because it matters to you.
- defiant: Refusing to do what you are told.
- deliberate: Done on purpose, not by accident.
- demure: Quiet, shy and very well-behaved.
More words to explore
Sitting the 11+ in Kent, Medway or Buckinghamshire?
Plain-English guides to each test, from the councils’ own pages: Kent Test · Medway Test · Bucks Secondary Transfer Test