curtail
verb
cur·tail
(ˌ)kər-ˈtāl 
curtailed; curtailing; curtails
: 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.
Synonyms
Examples of curtail in a Sentence
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
That could severely curtail or even outlaw aspects of I.V.F. treatment, which typically involves the creation of several embryos, only one of which is implanted while the others are frozen to allow for subsequent attempts at a successful implantation.
—
Annie Karni, New York Times, 22 May 2024
Refugee and asylum claims, both key targets during Trump’s first term, would once again be sharply curtailed.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 19 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for curtail 
Annie Karni, New York Times, 22 May 2024
Refugee and asylum claims, both key targets during Trump’s first term, would once again be sharply curtailed.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 19 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for curtail
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'curtail.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near curtail
Cite this Entry
“Curtail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/curtail. Accessed 28 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
curtail
verb
cur·tail
(ˌ)kər-ˈtā(ə)l
: to make less by or as if by cutting off part of
curtailment
noun
-ˈtāl-mənt
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share