put a lid on
idiom
1
: to stop (something) from growing or becoming worse
These changes are intended to put a lid on rising medical costs.
2
informal
: to stop doing or saying (something)
He angrily told them to put a lid on their complaints.
I'm tired of listening to your complaints, so just put a lid on it!
3
: to cause the end or failure of (something)
The government used the army to put a lid on the rebellion.
Examples of put a lid on in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Too much inventory and a more negative outlook will put a lid on this stock.
—
Jim Cramer, CNBC, 29 Oct. 2024
As Georgetown University Professor Caitlin Talmadge has shown, political and military leaders have to foster the promotion of competent officers, enforce a chain of command, encourage rigorous training, and put a lid on corruption to create an effective force.
—Rachel Tecott, Foreign Affairs, 26 Aug. 2021
Their deaths have served as a reminder of Haiti’s ongoing struggle against the growing power of violent gangs, which has increasingly concerned a U.S. government eager to put a lid on the Caribbean nation’s long-running security crisis.
—Michael Wilner, Miami Herald, 31 May 2024
Put the individual cloves in a container or jar, put a lid on it, and shake!
—USA TODAY, 22 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for put a lid on 
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Jim Cramer, CNBC, 29 Oct. 2024
As Georgetown University Professor Caitlin Talmadge has shown, political and military leaders have to foster the promotion of competent officers, enforce a chain of command, encourage rigorous training, and put a lid on corruption to create an effective force.
—Rachel Tecott, Foreign Affairs, 26 Aug. 2021
Their deaths have served as a reminder of Haiti’s ongoing struggle against the growing power of violent gangs, which has increasingly concerned a U.S. government eager to put a lid on the Caribbean nation’s long-running security crisis.
—Michael Wilner, Miami Herald, 31 May 2024
Put the individual cloves in a container or jar, put a lid on it, and shake!
—USA TODAY, 22 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for put a lid on
Dictionary Entries Near put a lid on
Cite this Entry
“Put a lid on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/put%20a%20lid%20on. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
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