cutting 1 of 3

adjective

Definition of cuttingnext
1
as in biting
causing intense discomfort to one's skin a frigid day with a cutting wind that made it seem even colder

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2
as in sharpened
having an edge thin enough to cut or pierce something the cutting side of the sword blade

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3
as in satiric
marked by the use of wit that is intended to cause hurt feelings her cutting comments serve only one purpose: to make someone cry

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cutting

2 of 3

noun

ˈkə-tiŋ How to pronounce cutting (audio)
as in slice
a piece that has been separated from the whole by cutting a bag full of grass cuttings

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cutting

3 of 3

verb

present participle of cut
1
as in slicing
to penetrate with a sharp edge (as a knife) I cut my hand on a piece of broken glass

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2
as in skipping
to fail to attend a warning that she had been cutting too many classes without valid excuses

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3
as in isolating
to deliberately ignore or treat rudely the snobbish lady cut anyone who didn't meet her standards of wealth and social standing

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4
as in shaving
to make (something) shorter or smaller with the use of a cutting instrument when you cut the pad, make it a little smaller than the carpet

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5
as in mowing
to shorten the standing leafy plant cover of you need to cut the lawn very soon—before it becomes a jungle

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6
as in diluting
to alter (something) for the worse with the addition of foreign or lower-grade substances the fruit juice was so cut with water that it was barely a fruit-flavored drink

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7
as in veering
to depart abruptly from a straight line or course cut towards the goal, eluding a defender

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8
as in intersecting
to divide by passing through or across a long mountain range virtually cuts that country in half

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9
as in analyzing
to identify and examine the basic elements or parts of (something) especially for discovering interrelationships whichever way you cut it, we won't be seeing any profits from the business for at least three years

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Example 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 cutting
Verb
On a September 2026 episode of Not Just Football With Cam Heyward, Rodgers offered a small nugget about how the wedding went down before cutting himself off. — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Sep. 2026 The victim told police a handful of men had gotten together drinking and smoking while a tree cutting crew was in the neighborhood after recent storms, records state. — Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 11 Sep. 2026 So, the Giants held onto Slayton until cutting ties six days before the season opener. — Dan Duggan, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026 Jesse Watters was talking to the Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed about cutting kids’ tallywackers off. — Marlow Stern, Variety, 11 Sep. 2026 Instead, the administration has proposed cutting more than 9,400 of my fellow workers and launched a new effort to privatize TSA — Horizon 25 — after the TSA Gold+ privatization campaign fell flat. — Hydrick Thomas, New York Daily News, 11 Sep. 2026 Cardinal Newman answered on its next series when sophomore running back Janarro Sumpter broke free for a 71-yard touchdown run, cutting the deficit to 17-7. — Gary Curreri, Sun Sentinel, 11 Sep. 2026 Others joined in, and Vance paused with a smile before cutting them off. — ABC News, 10 Sep. 2026 Oxford Industries — The maker of Tommy Bahama and Lilly Pulitzer sank 17% after cutting its full-year guidance. — Michelle Fox, CNBC, 4 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cutting
  1. biting
  2. sharp
  3. satiric
  4. slice
  5. slicing
  6. skipping
  7. isolating
  8. shaving
Adjective
  • The pacing is more frenetic, the narration more biting, the flashbacks more jarring, and the comedowns much harsher.
    — Hannah Giorgis Yohannes, Vanity Fair, 13 July 2026
  • Described as a biting political thriller in the tradition of Wild in the Streets and V for Vendetta, The Hunted is set in a dystopian America where trans people are brutalized and erased to the margins of society.
    — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 20 June 2026
Definition of biting
Adjective
  • Danish filmmaker May el-Toukhy, one of the two female directors competing for the Golden Lion this year, in Venice with a sharp, searing analysis of the women thrown to the wolves in the aftermath of World War II.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The fruits are enjoyed by birds, and deer tend to avoid this shrub, most likely due to the sharp spines.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of sharp
Adjective
  • According to The Jerusalem Post, Malkovich is scheduled to return to Tel Aviv for the satirical theatrical-musical production on April 13 at the Charles Bronfman Auditorium.
    — Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Critics have long speculated that his depiction was satirical—that the first utopian literary work was, at least in part, dystopian.
    — Boris Kachka, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of satiric
Noun
  • When taking out of the refrigerator to reheat one or two slices, a skillet is a popular way to revive leftover pizza.
    — Daryl Austin, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Following a demoralising late collapse against Bristol City which left Burnley bottom of the Championship and without a win from their opening five games, the signing of Vardy is a welcome slice of positivity for supporters.
    — Andy Jones, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of slice
Verb
  • Either way, Crew Girl goes over about as smoothly as a shell slicing through a silver lake on a breezeless morning.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Count on a lunchtime carving station, with a chef slicing everything from a giant roast beef haunch to whole suckling pig.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of slicing
Verb
  • Meanwhile, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is skipping around because they finally got rid of Brown and have a competent play caller.
    — Vic Tafur, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Many will be skipping the event An Associated Press survey of more than four dozen Republican candidates found a majority either planned not to attend, said their plans were to be determined, or ignored requests for comment.
    — Jill Colvin, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of skipping
Verb
  • Life as a professional tennis player is far too isolating for that.
    — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • By isolating electrical and fluid lines from pulling forces, the design preserves conductor integrity and dramatically extends cable service life.
    — IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of isolating
Verb
  • As for how Jason’s family would react to him ditching his signature beard, his wife, Kylie Kelce, recently responded to a listener who asked how their four daughters might react to him shaving off his beard on her Not Gonna Lie podcast.
    — Rachel McRady, PEOPLE, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The 23-year-old and his Serbia team-mates won the Davis Cup for the first time in December 2010, and fulfilled a promise by shaving their heads in celebration.
    — Amelie Claydon, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of shaving

Phrases Containing cutting

Browse Nearby Words

cutthroats
cutting
cutting (across)
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Cite this Entry

“Cutting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cutting. Accessed 14 Sep. 2026.

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