in control

in control — idiom

1. being the person who makes decisions and has the power to direct what happens in

1.慣用語B1
釋義

being the person who makes decisions and has the power to direct what happens in a situation, group, or organization

例句

Maeve is in control of the entire marketing campaign and reports directly to the CEO.

in control of + noun phrase for authority over a domain

The firefighters quickly took control of the situation and evacuated the building.

verb collocation: take control of

同義詞
  • in charge

    more common with people; 'in control' can apply to situations and systems

  • responsible for

    focuses on duty rather than authority

  • at the helm

    more formal and metaphorical, often used for organizations or projects

反義詞

文法句型

in control of + noun phrase

用法筆記

Often followed by 'of' to specify what is being controlled. The opposite is 'out of control' or 'not in control of'.

常見錯誤

The manager is in controlled of the project.
The manager is in control of the project.
💡'in control' is a fixed phrase; don't add '-ed' to 'control'.
Who is control of this department?
Who is in control of this department?
💡The preposition 'in' is a required part of the phrase.

2. able to think clearly and act in a sensible, steady way during a stressful or em

2.慣用語B2
釋義

able to think clearly and act in a sensible, steady way during a stressful or emotional situation, without letting panic or strong feelings take over

例句

Pedro stayed in control during the interview after he knocked over a glass of water.

stayed in control + during + stressful situation

The flight attendants remained calm and in control while the plane hit turbulence.

同義詞
  • composed

    more formal; describes a lasting personal quality

  • collected

    suggests mental focus and self-possession

  • calm

    broader term; 'in control' emphasizes active management of one's reactions

反義詞

用法筆記

Often used with verbs like 'stay', 'remain', 'keep', or 'be'. This sense does NOT take a complement with 'of' — you do not say 'in control of' when you mean calm.

常見錯誤

She was in control OF her anger.
She stayed in control and did not lose her temper.
💡When used to mean 'calm', 'in control' does not take 'of'. Use 'in control of' only for the authority sense (sense 1).