as in shortening
to make less in extent or duration
curtailed the school day because of the stormy weather
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Recent Examples of curtailing
But lawmakers and Kemp have balked at curtailing those measures in recent years.
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CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026
In virtually all cases outside of Detroit, newspapers concluded their partnerships with mergers, one partner shuttering its operations or the smaller paper dramatically curtailing operations.
—Arkansas Online, 4 Jan. 2026
The upgrades worked, curtailing the problem.
—Brittany Wallman, Miami Herald, 18 Dec. 2025
The bill, dubbed the Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development (SPEED) Act, seeks to speed up infrastructure projects by curtailing their environmental scrutiny.
—Rachel Frazin, The Hill, 16 Dec. 2025
Some users complained the new version went too far in curtailing ChatGPT’s personality, leading Altman to promise to bring back some of that personality in later updates.
—Dave Collins, Fortune, 11 Dec. 2025
Many of the plan’s legislative recommendations, like shrinking the federal workforce, curtailing environmental regulations, and changing civil rights enforcement policies, are being tracked by advocacy groups and watchdogs.
—Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2025
The rebound in corporate profitability was largely helped by Beijing’s policies aimed at curtailing fierce price competition across industrial sectors, at a time when deflation in producer prices stretched into its third year.
—Anniek Bao, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2025
Beijing began curtailing the export of rare earths to the United States at the height of the trade dispute in April.
—Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 23 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for curtailing
Verb
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After shortening the bench late in regulation and 15 minutes of overtimes Saturday against Boise State, Dutcher had used his full 11-man rotation five minutes into the game in the rarefied air of Reno and got a balanced performance from pretty much everyone.—
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But otherwise, Dale Hunter, who is famous for shortening his bench with the London Knights, never did in this tournament.—
Verb
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Once stationary, deactivate all lights except the hazard flashers, engage the emergency brake, and release the brake pedal to ensure your tail lights are not illuminated, reducing the risk of other drivers colliding with your stationary vehicle.—
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Permeable pavers allow rainwater to soak into the ground, reducing flood risk, while offering an upscale look.—
Cite this Entry
“Curtailing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/curtailing. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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