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.
The plan would not raise the state sales tax, create a statewide property tax or mandate deep cuts to state services. Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 7 Jan. 2026 The report by Tillery emphasized that the income tax plan would not raise the state sales tax, create a statewide property tax, nor mandate deep cuts to state services. Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 6 Jan. 2026 For the skin, don’t apply it on acne-prone skin or to deep cuts or fresh burns. Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 25 Dec. 2025 Other families around the country have also recently had their access to the therapy challenged as state officials make deep cuts to Medicaid — the public health insurance that covers people with low incomes and disabilities. Bram Sable-Smith, NPR, 23 Dec. 2025 Her mom, Andrea Smith, draws a connection back to her mother, Marjorie, the namesake of a beloved Folklore deep cut. Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 22 Dec. 2025 While the 1970s dress was already an impressive archive pull, don’t expect anything less than a deep cut from Grande and her stylist, Law Roach. Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 19 Dec. 2025 If passed as is, this proposal would likely result in a significant midyear budget shortfall and leave Chicagoans vulnerable to deep cuts to city services. Todd Feurer, CBS News, 16 Dec. 2025 Over four days, writer-filmmaker Guinevere Turner and archivist Cassandra Gillig screened ’90s and aughts deep cuts of Jenny Shimizu, Olivia Travel ads, and Jodie Foster in Nell. The Editors, Curbed, 15 Dec. 2025

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

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Cite this Entry

“Deep cut.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deep%20cut. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.

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