controlling
/kənˈtrəʊ.lɪŋ/ (bre, ipa) · [kəntrˈolɪŋ] /kənˈtroʊ.lɪŋ/ (ame, ipa) · [kəntrˈolɪŋ] /kən-ˈtrō-liŋ/ (ame, mw)
controlling — adjective
- controllingpositive
- more controllingcomparative
- most controllingsuperlative
1. (of a share, stake, or interest in a company) big enough to let the owner decide
(of a share, stake, or interest in a company) big enough to let the owner decide how the company is run.
Karim's family owns a controlling interest in the country's biggest tea company.
controlling interest (fixed business term)
After buying more shares, Renata holds a controlling stake in the small fashion brand.
controlling stake (collocation)
The German bank sold its controlling share of the airline to a Japanese investor.
As a controlling shareholder, Bao can choose most members of the board of directors.
- minority
minority stake = not enough to decide policy
文法句型
controlling + stake/interest/share/stockholder
用法筆記
Strictly attributive in this sense, almost always paired with a small set of business nouns: 'interest', 'stake', 'share', 'shareholder'. The threshold is usually more than 50%, but in practice can be smaller if no one else owns much. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense is about ownership of a company, not about how someone treats people.
常見錯誤
2. always trying to decide what other people do, with little regard for their wishe
always trying to decide what other people do, with little regard for their wishes or freedom.
Élise left her controlling boyfriend after he checked her phone messages every single night.
controlling boyfriend (relationship: negative)
Reema's mother is so controlling that she still picks her daughter's clothes.
controlling parent (family: negative)
Linh quit because her new manager was controlling and refused to let anyone make small decisions.
Asher hated playing chess with his controlling uncle, who corrected every single move.
Try not to be too controlling with your teenage children — give them space to make mistakes.
- domineering
stronger and more formal; suggests open bossiness
- overbearing
stresses pushing one's will onto others, often loudly
- possessive
more about wanting to keep someone close than telling them what to do
- easy-going
relaxed, lets others choose
- supportive
helps without taking over
文法句型
a controlling + person/parent/partner
be controlling
用法筆記
Strongly negative — never used as a compliment. Subject is usually a person in a close relationship: parent, partner, boss, friend. Distinguish from 'controlled' (sense 2 of that word): 'controlling' = wants to control others; 'controlled' = manages own emotions well.