The act of exerting control.
"The controlling force of the storm knocked down several trees across the valley."
In plain English: A controlling person is someone who tries to make other people do exactly what they want them to do without letting anyone else have any say.
"The controlling feature of this new smartphone is its ability to manage multiple devices with just your voice."
present participle of control
"The controlling factor in our decision was the budget constraint."
In plain English: To control something means to have full power over it and make sure it does exactly what you want.
"The new software is controlling all the lights and locks in my smart home."
Exerting control over a person or thing.
"The manager spent all day micromanaging every detail of her assistant's work, never letting him take any initiative on his own."
In plain English: Controlling means trying to make someone else do exactly what you want them to do without letting them have any say.
"His controlling nature makes him difficult to live with because he wants to decide everything for everyone else."
Usage: Use the adjective form to describe someone who dominates others through authority, while reserving the noun form specifically for instances where that power is actively being exercised. Avoid confusing this with "controllable," which describes something capable of being managed rather than one doing the managing.