trimmer

noun

trim·​mer ˈtri-mər 

1

a(1)

: one that trims articles

(2)

: one that stows coal or freight on a ship so as to distribute the weight properly

b

: an instrument or machine with which trimming is done

c

: a circuit element (such as a capacitor) used to tune a circuit to a desired frequency

2

: a beam that receives the end of a header in floor framing

3

: a person who modifies a policy, position, or opinion especially out of expediency

Synonyms

• acrobat
• chameleon
• chancer [British]
• opportunist
• temporizer
• timeserver
• weathercock

Examples of trimmer in a Sentence

gradually fading in the primaries, the former front-runner watched helplessly as the trimmers rushed to embrace the party's newest rising star

last year's winner of the tournament unexpectedly got trimmed in the first round, and the trimmer was a young player that no one had ever heard of

Recent Examples on the Web

The last thing anybody needs in the morning is a dull or underpowered trimmer pushing your hair around instead of cutting it—or even worse, pulling your hair. —Andrew Williams, WIRED, 25 Dec. 2024

For instance, Maryland requires a license for tree trimmers, while Virginia does not. —Andrew Wimer, Forbes, 14 Jan. 2025

For example, say a tree trimmer usually charges $500 for his services. —Laurel Wamsley, NPR, 26 Nov. 2024

Both of her parents were deaf and communicated through sign language, while her dad worked as a wallpaper trimmer and her mom as a domestic helper, according to the Daily Mail. —Makena Gera, People.com, 24 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Phrases Containing trimmer

• string trimmer