1
as in biting
causing intense discomfort to one's skin
a frigid day with a cutting wind that made it seem even colder
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sharpened
having an edge thin enough to cut or pierce something
the cutting side of the sword blade
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in slicing
to penetrate with a sharp edge (as a knife)
I cut my hand on a piece of broken glass
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in skipping
to fail to attend
a warning that she had been cutting too many classes without valid excuses
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in veering
to depart abruptly from a straight line or course
cut towards the goal, eluding a defender
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
8
as in intersecting
to divide by passing through or across
a long mountain range virtually cuts that country in half
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
ABC News,
27 June 2026
The ribbon-cutting event was a somewhat soggy affair (got to love that unpredictable Florida weather) but a happy one for Seth and the 20+ IONNA employees that made the road trip down from their corporate office in Raleigh, NC.
—
Anthony Karcz,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2026
If your laundry detergent just isn't cutting it, leaving your sheets with odors and dull colors, reach into your pantry for a bottle of vinegar.
—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
27 June 2026
Other task force members expect to spend much of their time cutting and tunneling through concrete.
—
Larry Seward,
CBS News,
27 June 2026
Once the tree has died, remove it by cutting it as low to the ground as possible.
—
Emily Hayes,
Martha Stewart,
27 June 2026
Storms that rolled through the Kansas City area Thursday dumped up to 2 inches of rain in parts of the metro, cutting short the FIFA Fan Festival at the National World War I Museum and Memorial and soaking the crowd at the Netherlands-Tunisia World Cup match at Kansas City Stadium.
—
Kansas City Star,
26 June 2026
The interim agreement to end the Iran war has already reopened the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran effectively closed, cutting the global economy off from significant supplies of oil and natural gas.
—
Arkansas Online,
20 June 2026
The pauses have also been criticized for interrupting the spectacle for fans, with broadcasters cutting to commercials.
—
Dorany Pineda,
Chicago Tribune,
19 June 2026
Verb
Jangoo and Chase batted cautiously in the first hour before cutting loose just before lunch.
—
ABC News,
27 June 2026
The ribbon-cutting event was a somewhat soggy affair (got to love that unpredictable Florida weather) but a happy one for Seth and the 20+ IONNA employees that made the road trip down from their corporate office in Raleigh, NC.
—
Anthony Karcz,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2026
If your laundry detergent just isn't cutting it, leaving your sheets with odors and dull colors, reach into your pantry for a bottle of vinegar.
—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
27 June 2026
Other task force members expect to spend much of their time cutting and tunneling through concrete.
—
Larry Seward,
CBS News,
27 June 2026
Once the tree has died, remove it by cutting it as low to the ground as possible.
—
Emily Hayes,
Martha Stewart,
27 June 2026
Storms that rolled through the Kansas City area Thursday dumped up to 2 inches of rain in parts of the metro, cutting short the FIFA Fan Festival at the National World War I Museum and Memorial and soaking the crowd at the Netherlands-Tunisia World Cup match at Kansas City Stadium.
—
Kansas City Star,
26 June 2026
The interim agreement to end the Iran war has already reopened the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran effectively closed, cutting the global economy off from significant supplies of oil and natural gas.
—
Arkansas Online,
20 June 2026
The pauses have also been criticized for interrupting the spectacle for fans, with broadcasters cutting to commercials.
—
Dorany Pineda,
Chicago Tribune,
19 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cutting
Adjective
-
So Google isn’t trying to release more biting mosquitoes into neighborhoods.
-
Netflix’s big comedy bet might be the Dan Levy–Rachel Sennott co-creation Big Mistakes; the biting, farcical series about adult siblings who get caught up in the drug business plays like Weeds crossed with The Other Two.
Adjective
-
Davidson had leveled the same line of criticism against Conley in one of the primary race's few sharp clashes.
-
In sharp contrast, the UPEPA tracks the existing summary judgment standard which only looks to whether a minimum of evidence exists and does not require the court to decide issues of facts.
Adjective
-
The student was referencing a line from the 1974 satirical film Blazing Saddles, a movie co-written by Richard Pryor.
-
Early says that the movie takes much of its aesthetic and satirical cues from director Paul Verhoeven’s films Showgirls (1995) and Starship Troopers (1997).
Noun
-
Try lemons, limes, melons, strawberries, cucumbers, jalapeño slices, or mint leaves for variety.
-
An American couple follows the bride's heritage to a remote slice of Southern Italy for their dream wedding.
Verb
-
Let lasagna stand for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
-
The three cutter-drones finished slicing the bedroom’s window out of the wall.
Verb
-
In deciding to be cautious in handling two-time All-Star Shane McClanahan’s return to action for the first time since August 2023 by skipping his turn in the rotation, the Rays put some extra work on their relievers by designating Saturday as a bullpen game.
-
The recent operator graveyard tells the cost of skipping that step.
Verb
-
The core value is in isolating truly new ideas and then testing them rapidly to get accurate customer feedback.
-
Eventually, Scott put them in school to refocus on her writing and to avoid isolating them from peers because of their family’s wealth, a close friend told Vogue.
Verb
-
Right now, Amazon has it on sale for 33% off, sending the price tag below $100 and shaving $50 off.
-
Borrowers with strong credit may be able to qualify for a rate below that threshold, and shaving even half a point off your rate can add meaningful room to your price ceiling.
Cite this Entry
“Cutting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cutting. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
