trimming

noun

trim·​ming ˈtri-miŋ 

1

a

: an additional garnishing

turkey and all the trimmings

b

: a decorative accessory or additional item

trimmings for a hat

c

: the remnants of something that has been trimmed : clipping

tree/grass/hedge trimmings

2

: defeat, beating

3

: the act of one who trims

Synonyms of trimming

• defeat
• beating
• loss
• whipping
• setback
• licking

Examples of trimming in a Sentence

our football team suffered a pretty severe trimming

Recent Examples on the Web

People who compost their food scraps and yard trimmings can contribute to reducing landfill methane emissions; improving soil health; and sequestering carbon, according to the EPA. —Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 22 Apr. 2026

The grass needs cutting, the edges need trimming, the hedges are creeping and the garden beds are staging a weed rebellion. —Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Charlotte Observer, 14 Apr. 2026

Organized by the curatorial fellow Yifu Liu, the show has trimmings in just about every frame. —Emilia Petrarca, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026

The trimming of the sails comes amid a particularly rocky run for Bad Robot, with several ambitious projects featuring high-wattage talent getting a hard pass or stuck in development hell. —Joe Otterson, Variety, 8 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1525, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Rhymes for trimming

• brimming
• dimming
• miming
• rimming
• skimming
• slimming
• swimming

Kids Definition

trimming

noun

trim·​ming

ˈtrim-iŋ

1

: the action of one that trims

2

: a severe defeat or beating

3

: something that trims, ornaments, or completes

trimmings for a hat

turkey with all the trimmings