1
as in helm
the place of leadership or command
after the president resigned, the vice president stepped in and took the reins of the company
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in power
the right or means to command or control others
a peaceful transfer of the reins of government has always been a hallmark of our nation
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of reins
Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2026
Oscar winner Kate Winslet might soon be taking up the reins for Mare of Easttown season 2.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Jan. 2026
In a preseason contest against Arizona, though, Webb was handed the play-calling reins and widely impressed in a 27-7 win.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 7 Jan. 2026
Instead, Kraft stuck with it, handing Mayo the reins of his franchise.
—Chad Graff, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
The founding brothers retired in the 1950s and passed the reins to younger family members.
—Philip Joens, Des Moines Register, 6 Jan. 2026
Some of that is because the technology isn’t fully baked, but some of it is because the end users—whether supply chain operators, store managers or consumers—aren’t ready to hand the reins to an AI model completely.
—Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 23 Dec. 2025
In his first extended interview since taking the SAG-AFTRA reins from Fran Drescher, Astin dove in with candid responses to questions including the overarching question about next year’s negotiations on a master contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 6 Nov. 2025
Amid the sale, Julia Vitale, who currently serves as Air Mail’s deputy managing editor, has also been promoted to editor as Carter gives up his reins.
—Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 30 Oct. 2025
Noun
With the possibility of the opposition being handed the reins of Venezuela now a seemingly impossible option, nobody is really sure what will happen.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for reins
Noun
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The short, but so far rather sweet, voyage of the Chelsea Under-21 boss at the first-team helm will feature one last stop just across the Thames against west London rivals Fulham.—
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As Buffett relinquishes the helm, investors are increasingly focused on what disappears with him.—
Noun
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The experience also reinforced Madsen’s belief in the power of social media.—
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Mophie's power bank has the functionality of a wireless MagSafe connection, with the convenience of a stand.—
Noun
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Remove extra stools or chairs that were brought out for holiday entertaining.—
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In addition to his political activism, Michael was involved with several charities, including serving as chair of the John Douglas French Alzheimer’s Foundation board.—
Verb
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According to projections made at the December meeting, that’s only about half a percentage point from the committee consensus on the neutral rate, or one that neither supports nor restrains growth.—
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There are also possible free speech claims if the law restrains NIL opportunities and interferes with First Amendment freedom of expression.—
Verb
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Kittle hobbles off the field George Kittle limped off the field late in the third quarter with an ankle injury amid a productive night.—
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Todd hobbles into each frame like a joyless ghoul, hating the cameras and hating his wife for bringing them into his world.—
Verb
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But this unit is two plays — or better yet, two injuries — from being a disaster that handcuffs Miami’s offense, like last year’s unit did, after Grier laughed at the media for its concern about fragile state of the 2024 O-line.—
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At the crash site, some of the rescuers find Morrow, who holds them at gunpoint and handcuffs them together in the lab.—
Verb
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Secrets that could take down a company, an industry; that's a bond that tethers you for life.—
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The nature of my work tethers me to London.—
Verb
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Tokyo Central is owned by Japanese company Pan Pacific Retail Management, which also runs the grocery chains Gelson’s and Don Quijote.—
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Texas Roadhouse, which also operates casual dining chains Bubba’s 33 and Jaggers, is expected to report third-quarter results at the end of October.—
Cite this Entry
“Reins.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reins. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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