1. To react stiffly or indignantly to criticism or attempted control.
2. To put a bridle on an animal or bring it under restraint.
3. Headgear used to guide a horse, usually including reins and a bit.
Use it for
Words that belong together
- bridle at criticism
- bridle at a suggestion
On the page
She bridled at the suggestion that she had been careless.
Nearby words
Word forms
- Base
- bridle
- Past tense
- bridled
- Past participle
- bridled
- Present participle
- bridling
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- bridle
- Present continuous
- am/is/are bridling
- Present perfect
- have/has bridled
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been bridling
- Past
- bridled
- Past continuous
- was/were bridling
- Past perfect
- had bridled
- Past perfect continuous
- had been bridling
- Future
- will bridle
- Future continuous
- will be bridling
- Future perfect
- will have bridled
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been bridling
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Usage notes
Primary category: literary / elevated general. Forms: bridle; bridles; bridled; bridled; bridling. Noun singular bridle; plural bridles. Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Writing functions: description, character, dialogue. Commonness: moderately common. Third-person singular: bridles.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
Keep a thought for later. Sign in to save privately.