curtail
5 antonyms and opposites of curtail, grouped by meaning.
Verb — To cut something short or reduce it, especially something that would otherwise have continued at its full extent.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. verb
To cut something short or reduce it, especially something that would otherwise have continued at its full extent.
“The strike curtailed the summer timetable.”
Opposites
2. verb formal
To restrict a freedom, right or activity, limiting what someone is allowed to do.
“The new law curtails the right to protest.”
Opposites
Antonyms
How to use curtail
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Slightly formal. Common in journalism, law and business writing; in speech people more often say cut back or cut short.
Etymology
From curtal, an obsolete word for a horse with a docked tail, reshaped under the influence of Latin curtus 'shortened, cut short'.
Full origin of curtail →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between curtail and curb?
Curb means to hold something back or keep it under control, often continuously — you curb your enthusiasm or curb inflation. Curtail means to cut something down in extent or duration, so it points to a specific reduction rather than ongoing restraint.
What is the difference between curtail and cancel?
Curtailing something shortens it but leaves part of it in place; cancelling ends it entirely. A curtailed season is played in part, whereas a cancelled season does not happen at all.
Is curtail formal?
It is on the formal side. It reads naturally in news reports, contracts and official statements, but in casual conversation 'cut short' or 'cut back' sounds more idiomatic.