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
Meanwhile, some lawmakers have sought to curtail the strikes.
—
Zac Anderson, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025
Spotify also cut 15 jobs in its podcast division, curtailing the headcount at The Ringer and Spotify Studios by about 5%.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 23 Oct. 2025
The shortage has also been made worse by an infestation of New World screwworm, a flesh-eating parasite, just across the border in Mexico, significantly curtailing beef imports from that country.
—Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2025
Beijing began curtailing the export of rare earths to the United States at the height of the trade dispute in April.
—Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for curtail
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Zac Anderson, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025
Spotify also cut 15 jobs in its podcast division, curtailing the headcount at The Ringer and Spotify Studios by about 5%.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 23 Oct. 2025
The shortage has also been made worse by an infestation of New World screwworm, a flesh-eating parasite, just across the border in Mexico, significantly curtailing beef imports from that country.
—Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2025
Beijing began curtailing the export of rare earths to the United States at the height of the trade dispute in April.
—Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 23 Oct. 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 29 Oct. 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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