Curtail

medium

ker-TAYL

verb

Definition

To reduce in extent or quantity; impose a restriction on

Examples

“The company had to curtail spending due to budget cuts.”
“New regulations curtailed their freedom to operate.”

Synonyms

reducetruncateabridgerestrict

Antonyms

extendexpandprolongaugment

Categories

ReductionLimitation

GRE Tip

Curtail is a medium-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "reduce" or "truncate" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "extend".

Related GRE Words

mitigate

To make less severe, serious, or painful

dwindle

To diminish gradually in size, amount, or strength

erode

To gradually wear away or diminish

truncate

To shorten by cutting off the top or the end

attenuate

To reduce the force, effect, or value of; to weaken

diminish

To make or become less

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