1
: something cut back
2
: reduction
a cutback in funding
cut back; cutting back; cuts back
: to shorten by cutting : prune
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
Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune, 13 May 2025
Of the 11 federal agencies that Senate Democratic researchers identified as investigating Musk’s companies as of January, most of them such as the Federal Aviation Administration have suffered cutbacks from Musk’s DOGE.
—David Ingram, NBC news, 11 May 2025
Rebecca Hersher, NPR, 19 May 2025
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) significantly cut back on training for emergency managers ahead of hurricane season, which begins on June 1.
—Charna Flam, People.com, 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for cutback
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Noun
Pritzker’s adversarial relationship with the Republican president could make Illinois a target for any of those federal cutbacks.
—Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune, 13 May 2025
Of the 11 federal agencies that Senate Democratic researchers identified as investigating Musk’s companies as of January, most of them such as the Federal Aviation Administration have suffered cutbacks from Musk’s DOGE.
—David Ingram, NBC news, 11 May 2025
Verb
But multiple National Weather Service offices have cut back on balloon launches this spring because of staffing shortages.
—Rebecca Hersher, NPR, 19 May 2025
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) significantly cut back on training for emergency managers ahead of hurricane season, which begins on June 1.
—Charna Flam, People.com, 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for cutback
Cite this Entry
“Cutback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cutback. Accessed 24 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cutback
1 of 2 noun
cut·back
ˈkət-ˌbak 
: an act or instance of cutting something back
cut back
2 of 2 verbˈkət-ˈbak
1
2
: to reduce something in amount
cut back on smoking
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