controlled

/kənˈtroʊld/
kept under control

The fire was controlled quickly.

The fire was kept under control quickly.


formal

Kept under direction or regulation; not free to act independently.

The laboratory maintains a controlled environment for the experiments.

The lab keeps conditions strictly regulated for the experiments.

She prefers a controlled pace when learning new skills.

She likes to learn at a carefully regulated speed.

Often used with nouns like 'environment', 'substance', 'burn', indicating deliberate regulation.

general

Having been subjected to control; the result of having been managed.

The company’s growth was controlled by market conditions.

Market conditions limited the company's growth.

Functions as a past‑participle adjective derived from the verb 'control'.

Collocations

controlled environmenta setting where temperature, humidity, etc., are strictly regulatedcontrolled substancea drug or chemical whose use is regulated by lawcontrolled burna deliberately set fire that is managed to reduce wildfire risk

Related Phrases

under controlphrase
kept within limits; managed

Word Origin

From the verb 'control' + past‑participle suffix '-ed'; Middle English from Old French 'controler', ultimately from Latin 'contra' + 'rotulare' (to roll).

Usage Notes

Use 'controlled' when emphasizing that something is deliberately kept within set limits. It is not typically used for temporary, spontaneous states (e.g., 'I felt controlled' is uncommon).

English Dictionary