trimmer

noun

trim·​mer ˈtri-mər 

1

a(1)

: one that trims articles

(2)

: one that stows coal or freight on a ship so as to distribute the weight properly

b

: an instrument or machine with which trimming is done

c

: a circuit element (such as a capacitor) used to tune a circuit to a desired frequency

2

: a beam that receives the end of a header in floor framing

3

: a person who modifies a policy, position, or opinion especially out of expediency

Synonyms of trimmer

• chameleon

Examples of trimmer in a Sentence

gradually fading in the primaries, the former front-runner watched helplessly as the trimmers rushed to embrace the party's newest rising star

last year's winner of the tournament unexpectedly got trimmed in the first round, and the trimmer was a young player that no one had ever heard of

Recent Examples on the Web

The irony is that Ashby was the stand-in for France’s usual wing trimmer, the British sailor Leigh McMillan, who is still recovering from an injury at the Auckland SailGP event in February. —Andrew Rice, New York Times, 11 May 2026

Even if the state opted for the Senate’s trimmer budget, officials will likely have to dip into dwindling budget surpluses to fund basic government services next year. —Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 5 May 2026

Wet conditions also increase safety risks for the tree trimmer and make tools less effective. —Peg Aloi, The Spruce, 15 Apr. 2026

In an email to PEOPLE on Tuesday, April 14, the Tempe Police Department said first responders were summoned to the scene following an incident involving the tree trimmer working on a palm tree on the morning of Sunday, April 12. —David Chiu, PEOPLE, 14 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Phrases Containing trimmer

• string trimmer

Rhymes for trimmer

• brimmer
• dimmer
• glimmer
• grimmer
• nimmer
• rimmer
• shimmer
• simmer
• skimmer
• slimmer
• swimmer
• timmer