deep cut
noun
plural deep cuts
1
music
: a song that is considerably less popular and well-known than other songs on the same album or by the same artist
From there, the band careened through highlights and the occasional deep cut from its catalog …—
Mikael Wood
Mikael WoodBut the rocker saw an opportunity to turn casual fans on to his deep cuts—so each disc intersperses hits with lesser-known album tracks in non-chronological order.—David Browne
David Browne2
: something (such as an obscure reference to a book or movie) that is recognizable to devotees but not usually to others
One of the fun things about being a Marvel fan is the franchise's ability to constantly surprise its audience with comic book deep cuts, surprising castings, and twists that no one sees coming.—Alexis Nedd
Alexis Nedd
deep-cut
adjective
a deep-cut reference/joke
Examples of deep cut in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Last year, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) made deep cuts to the National Weather Service, before partially reversing them.
—Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 17 June 2026
Narrated by frontman Jarvis Cocker, the film features 20 songs spanning hits and deep cuts.
—Spin Staff, SPIN, 16 June 2026
The spread of the Bundibugyo strain comes against the backdrop of the shuttering of USAID last year and deep cuts to Western aid budgets, which has led some to argue that a lack of resources reduced the presence of health workers on the ground, slowing the response to the outbreak.
—Alexis Akwagyiram, semafor.com, 12 June 2026
Ogilvie, a man in his 40s, was hospitalized with deep cuts to his head, face and back.
—CBS News, 11 June 2026
Ogilvie, a man in his 40s, was hospitalized with deep cuts to his head, face and back.
—ABC News, 10 June 2026
But today, in the midst of another growing Ebola outbreak, deep cuts to the CDC workforce mean that the agency may no longer have sufficient personnel to deploy at the same capacity if needed.
—Candice Johnson, The Conversation, 10 June 2026
County leaders had proposed revenue increases and requested deep cuts, particularly within the county’s Health and Human Services Agency.
—Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 9 June 2026
This program focuses on a 3,000-year-old cold case involving a skeleton found in Japan covered in unusually deep cut marks that resemble the wounds from a samurai sword attack or shark bites.
—Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 8 June 2026
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Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 17 June 2026
Narrated by frontman Jarvis Cocker, the film features 20 songs spanning hits and deep cuts.
—Spin Staff, SPIN, 16 June 2026
The spread of the Bundibugyo strain comes against the backdrop of the shuttering of USAID last year and deep cuts to Western aid budgets, which has led some to argue that a lack of resources reduced the presence of health workers on the ground, slowing the response to the outbreak.
—Alexis Akwagyiram, semafor.com, 12 June 2026
Ogilvie, a man in his 40s, was hospitalized with deep cuts to his head, face and back.
—CBS News, 11 June 2026
Ogilvie, a man in his 40s, was hospitalized with deep cuts to his head, face and back.
—ABC News, 10 June 2026
But today, in the midst of another growing Ebola outbreak, deep cuts to the CDC workforce mean that the agency may no longer have sufficient personnel to deploy at the same capacity if needed.
—Candice Johnson, The Conversation, 10 June 2026
County leaders had proposed revenue increases and requested deep cuts, particularly within the county’s Health and Human Services Agency.
—Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 9 June 2026
This program focuses on a 3,000-year-old cold case involving a skeleton found in Japan covered in unusually deep cut marks that resemble the wounds from a samurai sword attack or shark bites.
—Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 8 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deep cut.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deep%20cut. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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