cut down

verb

cut down; cutting down; cuts down

transitive verb

1

a

: to strike down and kill or incapacitate

b

: knock down

2

a

: to remodel by removing extras or unwanted furnishings and fittings

b

: to remake in a smaller size

intransitive verb

: to reduce or curtail volume or activity

cut down on smoking

Phrases

cut down to size

: to reduce from an inflated or exaggerated importance to true or suitable stature

Examples of cut down in a Sentence

we need to cut down that dying tree

Recent Examples on the Web

The Carolina Panthers don’t have to cut down their roster to 53 players for a few weeks — but the numbers game has already started. —Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 13 Aug. 2025

Many people, environmentalists, that is, believe in preserving trees and forests; however, others, especially developers, would rather cut down trees to build houses, commercial buildings, highways, and so on. —Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 8 Aug. 2025

The meat is cut down into hundreds of different products: several different flavors of brats, beef bacon, oxtail, beef tongue, rump roast, hanger steak, short ribs, skirt steak, bone broth, etc. —Kansas City Star, 5 Aug. 2025

Many say this will significantly cut down on the number of female commuters willing to ride the subways and risk being in a car with the former governor, thereby dramatically reducing overcrowding. —John Ficarra, New York Daily News, 5 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1571, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Rhymes for cut down

• adown
• blowdown
• breakdown
• countdown
• crackdown
• crosstown
• downtown
• drawdown
• dropdown
• facedown
• godown
• hometown

Kids Definition

cut down

verb

1

: to knock down and kill or wound

2

: to make over in a smaller size

3

: to reduce something in amount

cut down on energy use

Medical Definition

cutdown

noun

cut·​down ˈkət-ˌdau̇n 

: incision of a superficial blood vessel (as a vein) to facilitate insertion of a catheter (as for administration of fluids)