1
as in to shave
to make (something) shorter or smaller with the use of a cutting instrument
we need to cut back the bushes a bit so that the house number is visible from the street
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to shorten
to make less in extent or duration
cut back the meeting so everyone could leave early for the long weekend
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in curtailed
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
as in curtailment
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cut back
Stan Choe, Chicago Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
Others were made by cutting back native vegetation to widen existing walking paths.
—Ashley MacKin Solomon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
Laurie Whitwell, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025
Both were from similar actions, where Paintsil tapped in a cut-back pass that nobody on Sporting’s back line anticipated.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 28 Sep. 2025
Steve Fryer, Oc Register, 25 Oct. 2025
The filing does not specify if the cutback in Amazon holdings is from sales of shares, donations or both.
—Jessica Coacci, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cut back
Verb
Its forecast for profit in the current quarter fell short of analysts’ expectations as an industrywide shortage of memory pushes some handset makers to cut back on orders.
—Stan Choe, Chicago Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
Others were made by cutting back native vegetation to widen existing walking paths.
—Ashley MacKin Solomon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
In September 2023, under De Zerbi, Brighton’s opening goal again came from a cut-back, this time the right flank.
—Laurie Whitwell, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025
Both were from similar actions, where Paintsil tapped in a cut-back pass that nobody on Sporting’s back line anticipated.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 28 Sep. 2025
Noun
The Saints tied it on a short screen pass from Caden Jones to Bey who made a slick cutback before reaching the end zone for a 15-yard scoring play with 24 seconds remaining in the half to tie it 21-21.
—Steve Fryer, Oc Register, 25 Oct. 2025
The filing does not specify if the cutback in Amazon holdings is from sales of shares, donations or both.
—Jessica Coacci, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cut back
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cut back
Verb
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As for pre-existing ones, Boone said that Carlos Rodón, recovering from elbow surgery to remove loose bodies and shave down a bone spur, and Gerrit Cole, who underwent Tommy John surgery last spring, are doing well with their throwing programs.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
11 Feb. 2026
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Shortly after revealing her diagnosis in February 2025, Mellencamp, 44, shaved her head to prep for surgery to remove a few of the tumors.—
Tracy Wright,
FOXNews.com,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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That timeline by the end of the year would have coincided with an orbital alignment around the sun that would shorten the journey between Earth and Mars.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Decision-making cycles are shortening.—
Christopher Vollmer,
Fortune,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Many types of utopias have been articulated in late-modern culture, each one a distillation of some community’s desire for relief from the strictures and curtailments of life’s possibilities.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Dec. 2025
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Its manifesto centered on curtailment of the power of the railroads, federal loans to aid farmers in debt, and currency reform that entailed reintroducing Hamilton’s old silver dollar alongside the gold dollar to ease monetary conditions, which would give debtors a chance to clear their loans.—
David McWilliams,
Fortune,
16 Nov. 2025
Verb
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More recently, the mayor spoke out against the county’s plan to cut $200 million in homeless services.—
David Zahniser,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
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Local reports said Ukrainian missiles hit a power plant and an electrical substation, cutting power to parts of the city.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
7 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Ohtani threw 3 2/3 scoreless innings in an abbreviated start.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
6 Sep. 2025
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Key Takeaways Small caps lead weekly gains, Russell 2000 jumps 3.5% Jobs report shows strength, but private sector lags behind Markets calm despite tariff uncertainty and Elon Musk drama Despite the abbreviated trading week, stocks posted decent gains.—
JJ Kinahan,
Forbes.com,
7 July 2025
Noun
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Most executive conversations about AI focus on risk, regulation, or cost reduction.—
David Heacock,
Fortune,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Improvements like reduction in poverty and crime come when households are stable and not deprived of basic necessities.—
Mansoor Shams,
Baltimore Sun,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The car clipped a guardrail and burst into flames.—
Bryan Hood,
Robb Report,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Whistles with strings and whistles with hooks to clip onto key chains.—
Steve Lopez,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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That's the abridged version of the tricky nature of prosecuting a murder case without a body.—
Fox News,
Fox News,
17 Jan. 2023
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For theater owners, even the abridged period of theatrical exclusivity is considered a win.—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
7 Nov. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Cut back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cut%20back. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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