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.
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
If Congress passes and Trump signs his huge tax cut bill, there may be a bump up in consumer and business spending but also rising deficits and debt, which will likely raise interest rates and curtail new investment.
—
Harry Holzer, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
Markets rallied, Wall Street banks curtailed their recession forecasts, and moribund USconsumer confidence rebounded significantly.
—Samantha Waldenberg, CNN Money, 6 June 2025
The inevitable result of new regulations, instead of improving the enforcement of existing requirements, means that responsible pet breeders will be curtailed.
—Sheila Goffe, Boston Herald, 3 June 2025
Much of the Humane Society’s recent financial growth can be traced to a decision by San Diego County to curtail its own animal-control services nearly 10 years ago.
—Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for curtail
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Harry Holzer, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
Markets rallied, Wall Street banks curtailed their recession forecasts, and moribund USconsumer confidence rebounded significantly.
—Samantha Waldenberg, CNN Money, 6 June 2025
The inevitable result of new regulations, instead of improving the enforcement of existing requirements, means that responsible pet breeders will be curtailed.
—Sheila Goffe, Boston Herald, 3 June 2025
Much of the Humane Society’s recent financial growth can be traced to a decision by San Diego County to curtail its own animal-control services nearly 10 years ago.
—Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for curtail
Cite this Entry
“Curtail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/curtail. Accessed 12 Jun. 2025.
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
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