1
as in shaving
to make (something) shorter or smaller with the use of a cutting instrument
we need to cut back the bushes a bit so that the house number is visible from the street
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in shortening
to make less in extent or duration
cut back the meeting so everyone could leave early for the long weekend
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in ungenerosity
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cutting back
Verb
-
Exposure to direct sunlight or high temperatures can cause squash to ripen too quickly, shortening its shelf life.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
5 Jan. 2025 -
One of the most difficult parts of wedding planning is shortening the guest list.—
Ashlyn Robinette,
People.com,
30 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Diamandis told me that our hardwired inclinations toward selfishness did trouble him sometimes, in the middle of the night.—
Tad Friend,
New Yorker,
4 Aug. 2025
-
McMullen explained selfishness manifests in hogging a machine and taking way too long to find a perfect shot.—
Alex Abad-Santos,
Vox,
15 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Melissa Joan Hart is showing off her impressive beard-trimming skills!—
Gil Macias,
People.com,
6 Jan. 2025
-
The couple can be seen having a blast as Hart took the clippers and started trimming Wilkerson's beard in various ways, eventually splitting it into three long strands.—
Gil Macias,
People.com,
6 Jan. 2025
Verb
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And the itemizing of it, breaking it up, short form, the clipping it out.—
Mike Ryan,
IndieWire,
18 Dec. 2024
-
In Don’t Look Back, Bob is reading in a newspaper clipping about himself.—
Seth Abramovitch,
The Hollywood Reporter,
13 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Fairweather noted that Redfin expects mortgage rates to keep easing next year but cautioned that nothing is certain given the shaky economy.—
Samantha Delouya,
CNN Money,
19 Aug. 2025
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By 2100, Nigeria’s GDP is projected to be $6.91 trillion, bigger than the current economies of France, Germany, Japan and the U.K., with a population of 500 million to 600 million people.—
Adam Fayed,
Forbes.com,
19 Aug. 2025
Noun
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However, the announcement marks a major win for those in the respective asset industries, who have long been lobbying for a chance to tap into the roughly $12.2 trillion held in retirement savings plans.—
Hugh Cameron,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Aug. 2025
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Compare to Unilever's €1 billion investment in reusable packaging systems, already showing 12% cost savings in pilot markets, proving circular models can be profit centers rather than compliance costs.—
Trond Arne Undheim,
Forbes.com,
16 Aug. 2025
Noun
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His everyday life blends modern content creation with activities that keep him immersed in the bygone era: surfing, antiquing, photography, watching early-2000s films and searching thrift stores for more memorabilia.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Aug. 2025
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Vintage shops and thrift stores can be treasure troves for all odds and ends to fill any space of the house—especially because vintage decor is having a major moment right now.—
Shivani Vyas,
Better Homes & Gardens,
16 Aug. 2025
Noun
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No act of parsimony shrinks the size of government either.—
John Tamny,
Forbes.com,
21 June 2025
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Parsimony For The Prudent The principle of parsimony is a key tenet of business success that prudent entrepreneurs can apply in many areas, including data gathering.—
Julius Černiauskas,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Cutting back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cutting%20back. Accessed 23 Aug. 2025.
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