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
But 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
2
: 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
deep-cut adjective
a deep-cut reference/joke

Examples of deep cut in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Lawmakers have repeatedly rejected deep cuts to NASA science, signaling strong support for maintaining a balanced portfolio that includes both exploration and research. Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 6 Apr. 2026 Members of the budget committee shares the concerns that next year’s budget will mean another round of deep cuts. Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 5 Apr. 2026 San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria is urging City Council members to avoid deep cuts to homelessness funding this spring despite the need to close a looming $120 million budget deficit for the fiscal year that starts July 1. David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026 That includes deep cuts to the National Institutes of Health, the elimination of a health research agency, and the creation of a new agency devoted to chronic diseases called the Administration for a Healthy America. Chelsea Cirruzzo, STAT, 3 Apr. 2026 The Spring Sale is also delivering a deep cut on the excellent MacBook Air M4. K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 31 Mar. 2026 Anticipating deep cuts to funding for student stipends and training, institutions were forced to reduce or even cancel graduate student admissions for the year. Nara Parameswaran, The Conversation, 30 Mar. 2026 Trumpp was taken to a hospital with a 5-inch wide, 1/2 inch deep cut to her neck, according to court documents. Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 25 Mar. 2026 In their purest form, rare earths aren't rocks but elemental metals – deep cuts on the periodic table, numbers 57-through-71 and two others, for those scoring at home. Jon Wertheim, CBS News, 22 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1993, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of deep cut was in 1993

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Deep cut.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deep%20cut. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster