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
Synonyms
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
Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 18 Apr. 2024
The Bottom Line This season of financial cutbacks for your family has the potential to teach your children important money lessons, instill values, and open up more free time.
—Emily Edlynn, Parents, 29 Mar. 2024
Federal water officials warned that major cutbacks were necessary in some of the states that rely on the Colorado River: Nevada, Arizona and California.
—Daniel Rothberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Mar. 2024
The judge also rejected challenges by environmental groups that had argued for requiring larger cutbacks to boost river flows.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2024
The purge follows Cisco’s late 2022 cutbacks that shed 5,000 workers and ahead of its $28 billion acquisition of Splunk, a deal that management now expects to complete by April 30.
—Michael Liedtke, Fortune, 15 Feb. 2024
Headcount increased almost 10% last year even as Tesla made select cutbacks.
—Andy Kalmowitz / Jalopnik, Quartz, 8 Feb. 2024
Facing financial Armageddon, both systems (and most others statewide) threatened severe service cutbacks.
—Steven Greenhut, The Mercury News, 23 Jan. 2024
The cutbacks come as other Amazon groups — including Prime Video, Amazon MGM Studios and Twitch — this week are pink-slipping several hundred workers.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 11 Jan. 2024
Natalia Senanayake, Peoplemag, 17 Apr. 2024
Police are cutting back response to some types of calls to keep officers patrolling the streets and responding to violent crimes.
—Erin Couch, The Enquirer, 16 Apr. 2024
The general guideline for perennial blooming plants is to cut back to the ground all the dead, brown stems and foliage that wasn’t cut in the fall.
—Betty Cahill, The Denver Post, 7 Apr. 2024
Simplify your life by cutting back and concentrating on what makes sense and offers peace of mind.
—Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 7 Apr. 2024
Jim got involved in politics, running Robert F. Kennedy’s 1968 Democratic presidential primary campaign in Washington State and cutting back on mountaineering, while Lou got more involved in business.
—Alex Traub, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2024
In February, three insiders cut back their holdings.
—Gurufocus, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
There are craft beer connoisseurs who are cutting back on their drinking.
—Allison Robicelli, Washington Post, 4 Apr. 2024
More recently, however, companies have backtracked on those commitments, laying off their DEI officers and cutting back on related training.
—Khristopher J. Brooks, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2024
Noun
None of the cutbacks will affect patient care, Migoya told the Miami Herald Tuesday in a Zoom interview.
—Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 18 Apr. 2024
The Bottom Line This season of financial cutbacks for your family has the potential to teach your children important money lessons, instill values, and open up more free time.
—Emily Edlynn, Parents, 29 Mar. 2024
Federal water officials warned that major cutbacks were necessary in some of the states that rely on the Colorado River: Nevada, Arizona and California.
—Daniel Rothberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Mar. 2024
The judge also rejected challenges by environmental groups that had argued for requiring larger cutbacks to boost river flows.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2024
The purge follows Cisco’s late 2022 cutbacks that shed 5,000 workers and ahead of its $28 billion acquisition of Splunk, a deal that management now expects to complete by April 30.
—Michael Liedtke, Fortune, 15 Feb. 2024
Headcount increased almost 10% last year even as Tesla made select cutbacks.
—Andy Kalmowitz / Jalopnik, Quartz, 8 Feb. 2024
Facing financial Armageddon, both systems (and most others statewide) threatened severe service cutbacks.
—Steven Greenhut, The Mercury News, 23 Jan. 2024
The cutbacks come as other Amazon groups — including Prime Video, Amazon MGM Studios and Twitch — this week are pink-slipping several hundred workers.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 11 Jan. 2024
Verb
The controversial debate of reclining your seat on the plane may soon come to an end thanks to airline companies wanting to cut back on costs.
—Natalia Senanayake, Peoplemag, 17 Apr. 2024
Police are cutting back response to some types of calls to keep officers patrolling the streets and responding to violent crimes.
—Erin Couch, The Enquirer, 16 Apr. 2024
The general guideline for perennial blooming plants is to cut back to the ground all the dead, brown stems and foliage that wasn’t cut in the fall.
—Betty Cahill, The Denver Post, 7 Apr. 2024
Simplify your life by cutting back and concentrating on what makes sense and offers peace of mind.
—Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 7 Apr. 2024
Jim got involved in politics, running Robert F. Kennedy’s 1968 Democratic presidential primary campaign in Washington State and cutting back on mountaineering, while Lou got more involved in business.
—Alex Traub, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2024
In February, three insiders cut back their holdings.
—Gurufocus, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
There are craft beer connoisseurs who are cutting back on their drinking.
—Allison Robicelli, Washington Post, 4 Apr. 2024
More recently, however, companies have backtracked on those commitments, laying off their DEI officers and cutting back on related training.
—Khristopher J. Brooks, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2024
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.
Dictionary Entries Near cutback
Cite this Entry
“Cutback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cutback. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
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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