rein back
phrasal verb·1 sense·particle back
Meanings
Bring under stricter control
Why “back”? Something is prevented from moving, growing, or being expressed. It can also remain available as a backup.
“They reined back government spending.”
“The manager reined back extra costs.”
Test yourself
“They reined back government spending.” What does it mean?
Nearby in the meaning map
Sink In connects verbs by particle pattern, contrast pairs, and shared base verbs.
bite back
Same back pattern: holding
Stop yourself from saying something that you really want to say
choke back
Same back pattern: holding
Suppress an emotion welling up
cut back
Same back pattern: holding
Reduce sharply, especially expenditure; Reduce the amount of something, especially spending
fall back
Same back pattern: holding
Move backwards quickly, often in retreat; Use something as a backup when other options fail; Move into a position behind others
fight back
Same back pattern: holding
Defend yourself against an attack; Try to suppress a feeling like tears or anger
hang back
Same back pattern: holding
Hesitate to take part
hold back
Same back pattern: holding
Stop yourself from doing or saying something; Prevent someone or something from progressing; Refuse to give information or feelings
keep back
Same back pattern: holding
Withhold information or feelings
Sink In — iOS & Android
Practice “rein back” in Sink In
Drill “rein back” and 1,300+ other phrasal verbs with spaced repetition, organised by the particle patterns that connect them.
- Learn the pattern behind dozens of verbs at once — not one-off translations.
- Spaced repetition (SM-2) brings each meaning back right before you forget.
- Four practice modes train recall and discrimination, not just recognition.
