as in to shave
to make (something) shorter or smaller with the use of a cutting instrument
pruned the dead branches from the old apple tree
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of prune
The Red Sox and Celtics have pruned more than $500 million in salary and tax payments off their books in just the past 2 weeks.
—
Bill Speros, Boston Herald, 2 July 2025
Wisteria will need pruning every year, both to control its size and to encourage flowering.
—Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2025
Use sharp garden clippers, loppers, or a small, handheld chainsaw to carefully prune away sections of the vine.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 14 June 2025
Failure to prune some of those big positions now, and add to underweight sectors, could result in a portfolio that doesn’t reflect your goals and risk appetite.
—Darla Mercado, Cfp®, CNBC, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for prune
Bill Speros, Boston Herald, 2 July 2025
Wisteria will need pruning every year, both to control its size and to encourage flowering.
—Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2025
Use sharp garden clippers, loppers, or a small, handheld chainsaw to carefully prune away sections of the vine.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 14 June 2025
Failure to prune some of those big positions now, and add to underweight sectors, could result in a portfolio that doesn’t reflect your goals and risk appetite.
—Darla Mercado, Cfp®, CNBC, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for prune
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prune
Verb
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Courtney's husband surprises their daughter after shaving his beard off.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 July 2025
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On those three days, just over a millisecond is expected to be shaved off the standard 24-hour day.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
10 July 2025
Verb
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Both headphones are astonishingly quiet, virtually eliminating lower drone sounds, cutting higher frequency noises like key clicks, and even erasing piercing sounds like dogs barking with a bit of music.—
Ryan Waniata,
Wired News,
9 July 2025
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To pay for these initiatives, the law cuts Medicaid and food stamps — programs relied upon by poor households with children — by more than $1 trillion.—
MORIAH BALINGIT,
Chicago Tribune,
9 July 2025
Verb
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Some might have trimmed guest lists — not for space, but to cut the grocery bill.—
Orlando Sentinel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
5 July 2025
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The hue of your walls, trim, and ceiling can either clash or complement your upholstery, drapery, and art.—
Tessa Cooper,
Southern Living,
2 July 2025
Verb
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The foil-shaving head mows everything down to a smooth finish, while the trimmer can keep things as long as 11mm.—
Adam Hurly,
Robb Report,
26 June 2025
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By Jackie Valley Staff writer | Altadena, Calif. Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... Daniel Quiroz spent a recent Saturday morning mowing the yard of his uninhabitable house.—
Melanie Stetson Freeman,
Christian Science Monitor,
20 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Prune.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prune. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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