What does unbridled mean?
Word: Unbridled
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Unbridled means not controlled or held back at all, as in unbridled joy or unbridled anger.
Synonyms: unrestrained, uncontrolled, wild
Antonyms: restrained, controlled, checked
Word origin: Built from un- and bridled; bridle comes from Old English bridel, the headgear used to guide a horse.
How do you spell unbridled?
Syllables: un - bri - dled
Tricky part: The middle sounds exactly like a word used for weddings, but unbridled is built on a different word with the same sound: the one for a horse's head straps.
Watch out for: unbridaled, unbridelled
Memory tip: Picture a horse that has thrown off its bridle and gallops free across a field.
Unbridled in a sentence
Example 1: The children ran into the sea with unbridled delight.
Example 2: The puppy's unbridled energy left muddy paw prints all over the kitchen floor.
Example 3: There was unbridled excitement in the hall when the results were read out.
Fun Fact
Bridle is also a verb: if you bridle at a remark, you show you are offended, rather like a horse jerking its head against the reins.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Twins
Read both sentences and choose the correct option:
1. The fans greeted the winning team with unbridled joy. 2. The bridal party walked behind the band to the wedding hall.
a) neither
b) only 1
c) both
d) only 2
Show answer
c) both. Unbridled is built on bridle, the horse's straps, while the wedding word is bridal, so both sentences are right.
Word Puzzle
Match each word with its opposite:
1. unbridled 2. frugal 3. drab a. colourful b. wasteful c. held in check
a) 1-b, 2-c, 3-a
b) 1-c, 2-a, 3-b
c) 1-a, 2-b, 3-c
d) 1-c, 2-b, 3-a
Show answer
d) 1-c, 2-b, 3-a. Unbridled feeling is the reverse of feeling held in check; a frugal family is not wasteful, and a drab wall is not colourful.
Jumble Tumble
What is the meaning of the word that can be formed from the given letters?
dirbudlen
a) showing great care and attention
b) free of any restraint
c) tied up tightly with rope
d) very old and much respected
Show answer
b) free of any restraint. The letters make unbridled.
Spell Spies
Choose the incorrectly spelt word:
a) unrivalled
b) unpluged
c) unbuckled
d) unbridled
Show answer
b) unpluged. Plug doubles its g before ed, so the right spelling is unplugged.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Unbridled ambition is ambition that ____.
a) has no limits
b) is very small
c) is shared by a team
d) is kept secret
Show answer
a) has no limits
2. Which reaction shows unbridled feeling?
a) shaking hands calmly
b) giving a polite nod
c) smiling quietly to yourself
d) shouting and dancing with joy
Show answer
d) shouting and dancing with joy
