cutting back 1 of 2

noun

Definition of cutting backnext
as in ungenerosity

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

cutting back

2 of 2

verb

present participle of cut back
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

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

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for cutting back
  1. shortening
  2. selfishness
  3. trimming
  4. clipping
  5. economy
  6. saving
  7. thrift
  8. parsimony
Verb
  • Targeting thiol-regulating processes in TB bacteria could lead to treatment-shortening therapies.
    Tom Howarth, Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2024
  • Technology is shortening the lifespan of knowledge, skills, and even entire professions.
    Nirit Cohen, Forbes, 1 Dec. 2024
Definition of shortening
Noun
  • Cassie McCarthy, a licensed clinical social worker specializing in relational dynamics, added that reframing selfishness is key.
    Jason Fields, Newsweek, 4 Dec. 2024
  • Compared to the rest of the world’s peoples, Americans lead the planet in selfishness.
    K. Ward Cummings, Baltimore Sun, 10 Nov. 2024
Definition of selfishness
Verb
  • Just three percent of his shots this season have come from deep, continuing a six-year trend of trimming his three-point attempts.
    Brian Sampson, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024
  • The entire hotel transforms into a winter wonderland, and guests gather from near and far to vote on their favorite rendition of trimming a tree.
    Heather Bien, Southern Living, 27 Nov. 2024
Definition of trimming
Verb
  • Bag up thicker icing in a variety of shades, clipping or tying the back of the piping bags to seal, then create bags of thinner icing in a variety of colors.
    Tricia Manzanero Stuedeman, Southern Living, 10 Dec. 2024
  • To maximize flowering, prune late blooming clematis hard in February by clipping vines back to the lowest set of flower buds.
    Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Dec. 2024
Definition of clipping
Noun
  • Just as economic decline and cultural politics were driving industrial towns rightward, the burgeoning knowledge economy and cultural politics were driving suburbs leftward.
    Stephanie Ternullo / Made by History, TIME, 16 Dec. 2024
  • Despite stubbornly high inflation recently and a sturdy economy and job market, the Federal Reserve is expected to cut interest rates this week for the third straight meeting.
    Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, 16 Dec. 2024
Definition of economy
Noun
  • While an initial investment is required, colocation can lead to significant long-term cost savings.
    Mark Mahle, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
  • Those initiatives have long been advocated by economists as the population ages, and households squirrel away savings to cover fees in case of a medical emergency.
    Eleanor Pringle, Fortune Asia, 13 Dec. 2024
Definition of saving
Noun
  • The chances of you strolling up to a domain registrar and snapping up a domain worth thousands of dollars is about the same as stumbling upon a Jackson Pollock in a thrift store.
    Darpan Munjal, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
  • One woman got the shock of her life when opening an advent calendar purchased from a local thrift store.
    Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
Definition of thrift
Noun
  • And even if the existing global public health architecture survives this time of parsimony and austerity, it will have been remodeled along the way.
    Laurie Garrett, Foreign Affairs, 6 Mar. 2012
  • But the Senate’s parsimony on these issues was praised by the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center, a think tank that advocates for racial and economic justice.
    Larry Edelman, BostonGlobe.com, 9 June 2023
Definition of parsimony
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.

Thesaurus Entries Near cutting back

cutting a deal

cutting back

cutting capers

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Cutting back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cutting%20back. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.

Copy Citation

Share

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!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See All

Point of View: It's Personal

Plural and Possessive Names: A Guide

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Words You Always Have to Look Up
See All

Popular in Wordplay

See All

8 Words with Fascinating Histories

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

Birds Say the Darndest Things

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)

10 Scrabble Words Without Any Vowels
See All

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
naughty or nice
Are you naughty or nice? Quiz He's making a quiz, and checking it twice...