To exercise authoritative or dominating influence over; direct. The manager controls the operations of the entire department.
To hold in restraint; check. She struggled to control her emotions during the meeting.
To regulate or govern the speed, operation, or functioning of a machine or process. The thermostat controls the temperature of the room.
To limit or restrict the use, access, or distribution of something. The government implemented measures to control the spread of the virus.
To adjust for or take into account (a particular variable) so as to neutralize its effect in an analysis or experiment. The researchers controlled for age and gender in the study.