cut to the quick

phrase

: to cause severe hurt or upset
Their criticism cut to the quick.

Examples of cut to the quick in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The absurdity of this moment cut to the quick of America's nuclear project. Abe Streep, Scientific American, 10 Nov. 2023 Both know each other’s triggers and Domont’s prickly screenplay has plenty of barbs that cut to the quick. Thomas Page, CNN, 27 Jan. 2023 When such stars finally leave us, the news can cut to the quick. Peter Tonguette, WSJ, 24 Apr. 2021

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Cite this Entry

“Cut to the quick.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cut%20to%20the%20quick. Accessed 26 Jul. 2026.

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