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

My tool of choice is the Little Martin’s baby nail trimmer, which has a rougher attachment for adults that’s effective and easy to control. —Jane Herman, Vogue, 7 Apr. 2024

The couple's daughter Avri and son Exton can be seen in the video mischievously running a hair trimmer over their dad’s head. —Tabitha Parent, Peoplemag, 10 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

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

Phrases Containing trimmer

• string trimmer