cutting

noun

cut·ting | \ ˈkə-tiŋ

plural cuttings

Definition of cutting

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : something cut or cut off or out: such as

a : a plant section originating from stem, leaf, or root and capable of developing into a new plant

b : harvest

2 : something made by cutting especially : record sense 4

3 : self-harm in which a person purposely cuts or scratches the skin She [a young woman identified as "Kristen"] took occasional advantage of college-offered therapy in her sophomore year but also continued to cut herself. "For me—and for all the other cutters I know—cutting isn't about self-esteem, it's about control," Kristin explained. "… Cutting can be—and was for me—a cry for help: 'Look at me—I hurt so much I'm bleeding—help me stop this pain!'— Barrett Seaman

cutting

adjective

Definition of cutting (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : given to or designed for cutting especially : sharp, edged

2 : marked by sharp piercing cold cutting winds

3 : inclined or likely to wound the feelings of others especially because of a ruthless incisiveness a cutting remark

4 : intense, piercing a cutting pain

Other Words from cutting Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about cutting

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Synonyms for cutting

Synonyms: Noun

cut, slice

Synonyms: Adjective

biting, bitter, keen, penetrating, piercing, raw, sharp, shrewd, smarting, stinging

Examples of cutting in a Sentence

Noun

Take some cuttings from the plant and put them in water. a bag full of grass cuttings

Adjective

He made a cutting remark about my family, and I haven't spoken to him since. a frigid day with a cutting wind that made it seem even colder

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

The Air Force’s solution aims the most cutting-edge sports technology at young airmen. — Joe Pappalardo, Popular Mechanics, "The Air Force Is Changing How Special Ops Fighters Are Trained," 12 Feb. 2019 Ah, young love: For these flourishing couples, the fashion memo for 2018 was more cutting-edge streetwear and designer labels. — Christian Allaire, Vogue, "The Fashion-Forward Couples Who Dominated 2018," 29 Nov. 2018 The features of the memory are only two nanometers across, and they can be separated by as little as 12nm—below the cutting edge of processor manufacturing. — John Timmer, Ars Technica, "Memristors built with 2-nanometer-thick parts," 14 Nov. 2018 Meanwhile, Apple continues to push to the cutting edge of its tablet technology year after year. — Chaim Gartenberg, The Verge, "The MacBook Air needs Face ID and a delightful notch," 6 Nov. 2018 Sign up for the Backchannel newsletter Gadgets The iPhone X is packed with some of the most cutting edge smartphone tech, including its camera. — Arielle Pardes, WIRED, "Gadgets to Help You Shoot Pro-Quality Movies on Your iPhone," 1 July 2018 The conference offers the SOF community a place to interact with industry and to collaborate on the challenges, initiatives and way-ahead in delivering the most cutting-edge capabilities into the hands of SOF operators. — Lucinda Shen, Fortune, "Northrop Grumman Investigates Worker For Allegedly Attending Charlottesville Rally," 6 July 2018 Electronics manufacturers and other industries are turning to nLight's fiber lasers to replace conventional cutting tools and older laser technologies. — Mike Rogoway, OregonLive.com, "Shares in laser manufacturer nLight have doubled since last month's IPO," 24 May 2018 And yet, filtered through the moral judgment of Miss Elizabeth Bennet and, indeed, Miss Jane Austen, her practical observations produce some of the most cutting lines in a novel full of them. — Megan Garber, The Atlantic, "Colin Firth's Shirt: Jane Austen and the Rise of the Female Gaze," 17 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cutting.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.