curtail

verb

cur·​tail (ˌ)kər-ˈtāl How to pronounce curtail (audio)
curtailed; curtailing; curtails

transitive verb

: 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.
curtailer noun
Choose the Right Synonym for curtail

shorten, curtail, abbreviate, abridge, retrench mean to reduce in extent.

shorten implies reduction in length or duration.

shorten a speech

curtail adds an implication of cutting that in some way deprives of completeness or adequacy.

ceremonies curtailed because of rain

abbreviate implies a making shorter usually by omitting some part.

using an abbreviated title

abridge implies a reduction in compass or scope with retention of essential elements and a relative completeness in the result.

the abridged version of the novel

retrench suggests a reduction in extent or costs of something felt to be excessive.

declining business forced the company to retrench

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 So the issue of banning menthol cigarettes – or curtailing access to them – has divided the Black community. Yuki Noguchi, NPR, 26 Apr. 2024 Yet the House passed the legislation on Tuesday by an overwhelming margin, underscoring the strength of the Republican supermajority in the State Legislature and the party’s resistance to curtailing access to guns. Rick Rojas, New York Times, 24 Apr. 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.

Word History

Etymology

by folk etymology from earlier curtal to dock an animal's tail, from curtal, noun, animal with a docked tail, from Middle French courtault — more at curtal

First Known Use

1580, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of curtail was in 1580

Dictionary Entries Near curtail

Cite this Entry

“Curtail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/curtail. Accessed 4 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

curtail

verb
cur·​tail (ˌ)kər-ˈtā(ə)l How to pronounce curtail (audio)
: to make less by or as if by cutting off part of
curtailer noun
curtailment
-ˈtāl-mənt
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on curtail

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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