hold the reins
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“I feel like I’m trying to hold the reins on something I can’t really control.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 16, 2026
Silver told the audience that she had to wear her “big girl pants and hold the reins without Dick here as the safety net.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 30, 2025
Democrats hold the reins of power, with solid majorities in the state House and Senate, as well as every statewide elected office.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 9, 2023
These delegates are assigned block by block in the system; no one leader may hold the reins for too long.
From Slate ● Mar. 18, 2022
Tayo didn’t even bother to hold the reins; he knotted them the way Josiah had shown him when he was a little kid, so that the reins stayed together on the horse’s neck.
From "Ceremony:" by Leslie Marmon Silko
