1
as in to shave
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to shorten
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 curtailed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in curtailment
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of cut back
Liza Esquibias, People.com, 25 Oct. 2024
Two years into using it, the restaurant has cut back hiring time for hourly workers by 60%, according to Paradox.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2024
Jeffrey Marcus, Forbes, 26 Oct. 2024
The streaming giant’s workforce trims and departmental restructuring in recent months have not been as extensive as the cutbacks at traditional media companies.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 29 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for cut back 
Verb
The camera then cuts back to his conversation with the doctor.
—Liza Esquibias, People.com, 25 Oct. 2024
Two years into using it, the restaurant has cut back hiring time for hourly workers by 60%, according to Paradox.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2024
Noun
Forbes contributor Scott White, who writes about college admissions, outlines more than a dozen changes students face, including the new FAFSA rollout and DEI cutbacks.
—Jeffrey Marcus, Forbes, 26 Oct. 2024
The streaming giant’s workforce trims and departmental restructuring in recent months have not been as extensive as the cutbacks at traditional media companies.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 29 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for cut back
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cut back
Verb
-
The precipitous decline shaved $2.4 billion off Trump’s net worth between Wednesday and Friday, cutting deeply into the $3.6 billion in gains Trump made during the previous month.David Goldman, CNN, 4 Nov. 2024
-
This should make the engine more tractable throughout the rev range, and that’s not taking into consideration an optional race exhaust setup—for track use only, nudge nudge—that bumps those figures up to 126 horsepower and 73 lb-ft of torque, while shaving another 10 pounds.Michael Teo Van Runkle, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
Verb
-
Or is it shortened from OPSEC (Operations Security) SWAT team?PCMAG, PCMAG, 7 Nov. 2024
-
Harris's odds shortened from +150 to +120 at the bookmaker.James Powel, USA TODAY, 4 Nov. 2024
Noun
-
While in California, curtailment reached 2.4 million megawatt-hours of wind and solar output in 2022, 95% of it being solar.Rob van Straten, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
-
In March, the city government enacted another new security law that raised concerns about a further curtailment of press freedom.Kanis Leung, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2024
Verb
-
With the extra attacker out, Fabian Zetterlund scored a power-play goal with 26 seconds left in regulation time to cut the Rangers lead to 3-2, but the Sharks could not find the equalizer.Curtis Pashelka, The Mercury News, 14 Nov. 2024
-
European countries, meanwhile, have some of the world’s strictest targets to cut emissions by 2030 — but have also secured new gas supplies following Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine.Reuters, NBC News, 13 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
Take these three steps to move toward a more nimble and abbreviated procurement process: • Change your procurement process—from product identification to evaluation to selection to purchasing.Mark Tauschek, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
-
According to sources, there had been discussions of bringing the show back for an abbreviated final season or even a wrap up film, but ultimately to no avail.Joe Otterson, Variety, 27 Sep. 2024
Noun
-
Gauthier, who was mayor during most of the period in which the city achieved its historic drop in violent crime, believes East Palo Alto’s collaborative approach to crime reduction could be scaled up district-wide.Ryan Macasero, The Mercury News, 6 Nov. 2024
-
Well, that this gradual reduction in time spent near the boats means sharks most likely do not form long-term associations with these vessels.Melissa Cristina Marquez, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
-
Wear rubber gloves and clip a mangled licking branch (which holds the forehead and saliva scent of several bucks and does) from atop an active scrape and wire it over a mock scrape near your stand.Michael Hanback, Outdoor Life, 7 Nov. 2024
-
During a July rally in Butler, Pa., a rooftop gunman clipped Trump in the right ear and killed an attendee.Hailey Branson-Potts, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
That's the abridged version of the tricky nature of prosecuting a murder case without a body.Fox News, Fox News, 17 Jan. 2023
-
On Friday, Burrows, R-Lubbock, made public his request to Uvalde District Attorney Christina Mitchell Busbee for an abridged video from a school hallway camera to be released.Dallas News, Dallas News, 11 July 2022
Thesaurus Entries Near cut back
Cite this Entry
“Cut back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cut%20back. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share