Controlling example sentences

"Controlling" Example Sentences

She spent years controlling her emotions before finally letting herself feel angry.
The board is controlling the company's direction without consulting the employees who actually do the work.
He realized he'd been controlling every aspect of his daughter's life, and it had to stop.
Controlling your breathing is the first thing they teach you in any meditation class.
My mother has this way of controlling conversations that makes everyone uncomfortable.
They're controlling the narrative by releasing information only when it benefits them.
I hate how controlling he gets whenever I make plans without him.
Controlling inflation without triggering a recession is the central bank's impossible task.
She found herself controlling her tone of voice, keeping it pleasant even though she was furious.
The coach was controlling every play from the sideline instead of letting the team think for themselves.
Controlling access to the building requires a keycard and a security code.
He kept controlling the remote, flipping through channels so fast nobody could watch anything.
Controlling your impulses gets harder the more tired you are.
The government's controlling interest in the utility company means they set the rates.
I'm tired of controlling my appearance to make other people comfortable.
Controlling the crowd at the concert took six security guards and a lot of patience.
She was controlling her laughter during the funeral, biting the inside of her cheek.
Controlling the budget means saying no to things you actually want.
He admitted he'd been controlling and manipulative, and he was finally getting help for it.
Controlling the temperature in the old house is basically impossible.
They're controlling which stories get published by threatening advertisers.
Controlling your anger when someone insults your family is one of the hardest things.
The company's controlling shareholder made the decision without a board vote.
Controlling the spread of misinformation online is like trying to hold back the ocean.
She stopped controlling everything and her anxiety actually went down.
Controlling the narrative around the scandal became their full-time job.
He was controlling about money, tracking every dollar she spent.
Controlling your expectations is the secret to not being disappointed all the time.
The algorithm is controlling what content you see without you even realizing it.
Controlling the urge to text him back was harder than she expected.

Common Phrases

controlling interest
controlling behavior
controlling the narrative
controlling your emotions
controlling access
controlling the situation
controlling factor
controlling influence
controlling impulses
controlling the conversation

Examples by Level

Controlling the dog is hard when he sees a squirrel.
She is controlling her spending money this month.

He was controlling the music at the party, and nobody else got to choose songs.
Controlling your temper when someone is rude is difficult.

Looking back, I realize how controlling I was being in that relationship — it wasn't fair to him.
The coach kept controlling every decision the players made, which actually made them worse.

She'd spent so long controlling her public image that she'd forgotten who she actually was underneath.
There's something deeply unsettling about realizing someone's been controlling your choices all along.

The subtle art of controlling a narrative lies not in what you say, but in what you strategically omit.
His need for controlling every variable in his life stemmed from a childhood marked by unpredictability and loss.

What begins as a desire for order often devolves into a pathological need for controlling circumstances that were never one's to command.
She understood, with the clarity that comes only from hard-won self-awareness, that her compulsion for controlling outcomes was itself the very thing destroying her relationships.

Examples by Scenario

🏠 Everyday Life

My roommate keeps controlling the thermostat and it's either freezing or boiling — there's no middle ground.
I caught myself controlling my kids' playtime again and had to step back and let them figure it out.

💼 Workplace

The manager's controlling micromanagement style has everyone looking for new jobs.
She's good at her job but her controlling attitude makes it hard for junior staff to take initiative.

📊 Business

The family retained a controlling stake in the company even after going public.
Controlling costs without sacrificing quality is the eternal business challenge.

🛒 Buying / Shopping

I'm controlling my spending by using cash instead of cards — it actually works.
The store's controlling inventory with a new system that tracks everything in real time.

✈️ Travel

Controlling luggage through three airports and two countries was a nightmare.
The tour guide was controlling the group's pace so tightly that nobody could explore on their own.

📚 Education

Teachers talk about controlling classroom behavior, but half the time it's just about respect.
The principal's controlling approach to curriculum left no room for teachers to innovate.

❤️ Relationships

We broke up because he was controlling about who I could see and where I could go.
She realized her mother had been controlling her choices her whole life, and finally said no.

📰 News / Politics

The government's controlling the media by threatening to revoke broadcasting licenses.
Controlling the election narrative has become more important than actual policy discussion.

💻 Technology

The app is controlling your phone's battery life — you might want to uninstall it.
AI systems are controlling more decisions in hiring, and nobody's really checking if they're fair.

📝 Formal Writing

The study employed controlling variables to isolate the effect of the independent factor.
Controlling for socioeconomic status, the researchers found no significant difference between groups.