in check

phrase

: under restraint or control

trying to keep his emotions in check

Examples of in check in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Beneficial species help digest food, hold plaque in check and support a balanced ecosystem that feeds into whole-body health. — Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 5 Oct. 2026

To keep her own bias in check, Iyer prompted Claude to pick statements from the candidates' own speeches or from their official websites. — Maham Javaid, NPR, 5 Oct. 2026

Two weeks into fighting, the unforgiving mountainous terrain, heavy Saudi and government air power, and a reenergized anti-Houthi coalition have kept the Houthi advance in check, preventing a collapse on the level of that in mid-September. — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 4 Oct. 2026

Another example is ridicule and mockery of stingy or braggadocious individuals, which keeps greed and bravado in check. — Christopher Von Rueden, The Conversation, 3 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1608, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for in check

• aztec
• breakneck
• codec
• exec
• mixtec
• paycheck
• pinchbeck
• recheck
• redneck
• toltec
• beck
• breck