CUT-AND-DRY Synonyms: 93 Similar and Opposite Words

cut-and-dried

adjective

ˌkət-ᵊn-ˈdrīd

variants also cut-and-dry

Definition of cut-and-dried

as in normal

being of the type that is encountered in the normal course of events a cut-and-dried session of the convention just to get required business out of the way

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Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of cut-and-dried Otherwise, if some kind of friction is necessary to keep public space functioning, then the alternative to the cut-and-dried logic of the gate, the lock, the camera, or the case, is the human—which, in most places, means the police. — Henry Grabar, The Atlantic, 20 Apr. 2026 Part of the reason is that neither the bugs nor their fixes are cut-and-dry. — Huo Jingnan, NPR, 11 Apr. 2026 But, true to form as a facts-not-feelings guy, Burgos argues that what’s good for you isn’t always so cut-and-dried. — Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 23 Mar. 2026 Simply following a plant list is not a cut-and-dried solution. — Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cut-and-dried

Recent Examples of Synonyms for cut-and-dried

Adjective

The sensor returned to normal after Menon doffed the suit, but NASA took some extra time to make sure there was no serious issue.

— Mike Wall, Space.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Restrictive eating and other disordered eating behaviors can start to feel very normal when your whole algorithm is feeding you back-to-back tips on how to shrink yourself.

— Miranda Roberts, The Conversation, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of normal

Adjective

For Panama, the result is a wet season that’s already been drier than usual and is likely to get worse.

— Hira Humayun, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
New York City sanitation workers say their job has been pricklier than usual after the Department of Sanitation reported an increase in needle stick injuries.

— Noelle Lilley, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of usual

Adjective

Pay attention to ordinary pleasures, like a warm bed on a cold night, a good cup of coffee, or a brightly colored bird outside the window.

— Angela Haupt, Time, 18 Aug. 2026
Critics, however, said the effects of those macroeconomic improvements were not being felt by ordinary Zambians who were growing frustrated with a high cost of living and electricity shortages.

— Jacob Zimba, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of ordinary

Adjective

With 50,000 unique items for sale and dozens of each on shelves at your typical big box store, that’s a lot for human beings to keep track of.

— David Goldman, CNN Money, 18 Aug. 2026
The carbon footprint was calculated using a range of usage from an industry average of 60% to 100% for round-the-clock deployment, and a gas burn rate of a typical single-cycle gas generator.

— Matt Day, Fortune, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of typical

Adjective

His overall offensive touch and instincts are average, but there’s enough to his game to be a potential third-line forward, maybe even as a center.

— Corey Pronman, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
The speed at which participants first focused on an image, and the average length of time participants spent looking at each image, were both recorded and turned into a score.

— Connor Sturges, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of average

Adjective

The most common type of vessel to travel through the strait was the product tanker, which typically transports refined petroleum products.

— Tim Lister, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026
Medicaid was meant to provide health care to the vulnerable — a pregnant mother, a disabled father, a poor child — but the most common new enrollee of the past decade has been an able-bodied adult.

— Editorial Board, Washington Post, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of common

Adjective

To make potty training less stressful for everyone, choose a time when your little one is safely ensconced in the steady rhythm of routine and you’re relaxed and able to devote your attention to the task at hand.

— BestReviews, Mercury News, 21 Aug. 2026
Though Jackson discharged hundreds of largely incapacitated patients into homes chosen, and sometimes owned, by Solano, there is little evidence that the hospital engaged in any meaningful, routine oversight.

— Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of routine

Browse Nearby Words

cut a deal

cut-and-dried

cut-and-paste

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Cut-and-dried.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cut-and-dried. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of cut-and-dried

adjective

Example Sentences

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