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
Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 14 July 2025
The high court’s ruling has been expected inside the administration for weeks now; multiple agencies are gearing up to proceed with further cutbacks once that decision came down.
—Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 10 July 2025
Paul Davidson, USA Today, 13 July 2025
When at 5 feet podocarpus don’t seem to mind being cut back to the same height at each pruning.
—Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for cutback
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Noun
To help offset the lost tax revenue, the package includes $1.2 trillion in cutbacks to Medicaid health care and food stamps, largely by imposing new work requirements, including for some parents and older people, and a major rollback of green energy tax credits.
—Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 14 July 2025
The high court’s ruling has been expected inside the administration for weeks now; multiple agencies are gearing up to proceed with further cutbacks once that decision came down.
—Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 10 July 2025
Verb
Consumers especially have been cutting back on discretionary purchases, such as recreational services, travel and dining out.
—Paul Davidson, USA Today, 13 July 2025
When at 5 feet podocarpus don’t seem to mind being cut back to the same height at each pruning.
—Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 July 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 30 Jul. 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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