keep in check

Meaning

This expression means to keep something under control, to limit it, or to prevent it from becoming too large, powerful, or damaging. It is commonly used when talking about managing emotions, physical symptoms, expenses, or competitive forces. The tone is neutral.

Examples

• You need to keep your emotions in check during a professional job interview.

  You need to keep your emotions in check during a professional job interview.

• The government is trying to introduce new policies to keep inflation in check.

  The government is trying to introduce new policies to keep inflation in check.

• Regular exercise can help you keep your stress levels in check.

  Regular exercise can help you keep your stress levels in check.

• We must keep our spending in check if we want to save enough for a vacation.

  We must keep our spending in check if we want to save enough for a vacation.

• The goalkeeper did an amazing job keeping the opposing team's strikers in check.

  The goalkeeper did an amazing job keeping the opposing team's strikers in check.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I tried to keep my anger under check.

  ✓ I tried to keep my anger in check.

  The correct idiomatic preposition is 'in check', not 'under check'.

• ✗ She kept in check her feelings.

  ✓ She kept her feelings in check.

  The object (feelings) should go between 'keep' and 'in check' when it is a simple noun phrase.

Related Expressions

Practice

• It's hard to ___ your nerves before giving a big presentation.

  💡 Control or limit your reactions

  Show answer

  keep in check

• They had to take drastic measures to ___ their growing expenses.

  💡 Limit or control

  Show answer

  keep in check