1 C1 idiomatic informal
to control, limit, or hold back something
"The company is trying to reign in unnecessary expenses."
separable
reign in
C1 informal separable transitive
a common nonstandard spelling of 'rein in', meaning to control or limit something
In plain English
to stop something from getting too strong or too much
What does "reign in" mean?
One main meaning — here's how to use it.
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
to rule inward
Actually means
to stop something from getting too strong or too much
Usage tip
Most dictionaries and style guides prefer 'rein in'. 'Reign in' appears frequently in edited writing but is widely treated as an error or spelling variant caused by confusion with 'reign'.
Words that pair with "reign in"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
spending inflation emotions power excesses budget
How to conjugate "reign in"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
reign in
I/you/we/they
3rd person
reigns in
he/she/it
Past simple
reigned in
yesterday
Past participle
reigned in
have + pp
-ing form
reigning in
continuous
Hear "reign in" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "reign in" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "reign in"
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
Keep exploring
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