cutback

1 of 2

noun

cut·​back ˈkət-ˌbak How to pronounce cutback (audio)
1
: something cut back
2
: reduction
a cutback in funding

cut back

2 of 2

verb

cut back; cutting back; cuts back

transitive verb

: to shorten by cutting : prune

intransitive verb

1
: to interrupt the sequence of a plot (as of a movie) by introducing events prior to those last presented
2
: cut down
cut back on sugar

Examples of cutback in a Sentence

Verb we need to cut back the bushes a bit so that the house number is visible from the street cut back the meeting so everyone could leave early for the long weekend
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Loomis and Henle also visited Las Vegas and other cities on the river to show the different approaches to conserving water as deepening cutbacks loomed. Shaun McKinnon, The Arizona Republic, 16 Aug. 2023 The cutback — the latest in a series under owner Walt Disney Co. — involves some 19 editorial staffers in all, who were notified in April that these terminations were coming. Paul Farhi, Washington Post, 28 June 2023 Employees involved in the cutbacks will receive severance pay based on tenure plus at least 60 days of transition leave including pay and benefits. Leada Gore | Lgore@al.com, al, 24 Aug. 2023 The cutbacks were a sign of the strain on local governments caused in part by the downturn in real estate that had hurt land sales, a reliable source of revenue. Alexandra Stevenson, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2023 San Jose cut its payroll during the Great Recession and these cutbacks have not been restored. Mark Davidson, Fortune, 11 Aug. 2023 Read full article The cutbacks come as some conservative politicians rail against the liberal arts for being, well, too liberal. Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 10 Aug. 2023 However, this cutback will leave Amazon with just three in-house clothing brands: Amazon Essentials, Amazon Collection, and Amazon Aware. Emma Roth, The Verge, 10 Aug. 2023 Some lawmakers have decided to step in and try to make a dent, and environmentalists are hopeful government pressure can make a change where voluntary cutbacks by plastic producers and packaging companies don’t. Susanne Rust, Anchorage Daily News, 19 Aug. 2023
Verb
Russia cut back on its attacks on Ukraine’s energy grid during the summer. Thomas Gibbons-Neff, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2023 Crooning to the camera, the footage cut back and forth between Carey solo in a field, rolling in the grass and also featured multiple shots with dancers dressed in a variety of styles. Marisa Sullivan, Peoplemag, 12 Sep. 2023 Last year, Giant Delivers cut back minimum online order requirements and eliminated fees on midweek orders. Lorraine Mirabella, Baltimore Sun, 11 Sep. 2023 The film cuts back and forth between the late 1980s and the lead-up to and early days of World War II, just after the annexation of the Sudetenland in 1938. Leslie Felperin, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Sep. 2023 Drew Angerer/Getty Images US executives drastically cut back on public discussions of workplace diversity last quarter, in the first earnings season since the Supreme Court’s ruling against affirmative action sent a chill through corporate boardrooms. Redd Brown, Fortune, 10 Sep. 2023 This includes cutting back carbohydrates to 50 grams a day or less, for at least two to three weeks up to six to 12 months, per the National Library of Medicine. Amanda MacMillan, Health, 8 Sep. 2023 Riot cut back on its power usage by over 95% during peak demand periods, according to a Wednesday report from the Castle Rock, Colo.-based bitcoin mining company. Irving Mejia-Hilario, Dallas News, 8 Sep. 2023 Roku said these measures will include consolidating office space, cutting back on outside expenses, and limiting new hires — the typical steps companies take in these moments. Chris Welch, The Verge, 6 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cutback.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1897, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1871, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of cutback was in 1871

Dictionary Entries Near cutback

Cite this Entry

“Cutback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cutback. Accessed 24 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

cutback

1 of 2 noun
cut·​back ˈkət-ˌbak How to pronounce cutback (audio)
: an act or instance of cutting something back

cut back

2 of 2 verb
ˈkət-ˈbak
1
2
: to reduce something in amount
cut back on smoking
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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