variants or less commonly cut-and-dry
: being or done according to a plan, set procedure, or formula : routine
a cut-and-dried presentation

Examples of cut-and-dried in a Sentence

a cut-and-dried session of the convention just to get required business out of the way
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The image of Madigan, a famously Irish Southwest Sider, as a monumental desert colossus with the head of a human, body of a lion and wings of an eagle brought some levity to an otherwise quick, cut-and-dried day of testimony in Madigan’s trial, which is now in its 10th week. Megan Crepeau, Chicago Tribune, 10 Dec. 2024 Jon Heyman of the New York Post recently reported that Kikuchi's contract isn't a cut-and-dry deal. Mark R. Weaver, Newsweek, 4 Dec. 2024 But not all conflicts are so cut-and-dried; some can go on for decades, with multiple wars waged as underlying problems remain unresolved. John Spencer, Foreign Affairs, 18 Nov. 2024 Clark’s individual numbers are hard to argue, but this isn’t a cut-and-dry case because Angel Reese has been more impactful for team success. Sabreena Merchant, The Athletic, 14 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for cut-and-dried 

Word History

First Known Use

1710, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cut-and-dried was in 1710

Dictionary Entries Near cut-and-dried

Cite this Entry

“Cut-and-dried.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cut-and-dried. Accessed 17 Dec. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!