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

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

An electric or battery-powered hedge trimmer does the same job in minutes, with cleaner and more even cuts. —Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 14 Apr. 2026

Flight controller Andy Maloney — a New Zealander and three-time America’s Cup winner — was lured away by the start-up Swedish team with an all-star cast and a budget to match; and British wing trimmer Leigh McMillan was poached by the French team. —Andrew Rice, New York Times, 10 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