plural prunes
: a dried plum that is often cooked before it is eaten
stewed prunes
prune juice
prunes; pruned; pruning
1
: to cut off some of the branches of (a tree or bush) so that it will grow better or look better
She carefully pruned the hedge.
Those trees need to be pruned every year.
—often + backYou should prune back the unwanted branches.
2
: to reduce (something) by removing parts that are not necessary or wanted
The students were asked to prune their essays.
The budget needs to be pruned.
Cite this Entry
“Prune.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/prune. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.
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