1
as in biting
causing intense discomfort to one's skin
a frigid day with a cutting wind that made it seem even colder
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2
as in sharpened
having an edge thin enough to cut or pierce something
the cutting side of the sword blade
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3
as in satirical
marked by the use of wit that is intended to cause hurt feelings
her cutting comments serve only one purpose: to make someone cry
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1
as in slicing
to penetrate with a sharp edge (as a knife)
I cut my hand on a piece of broken glass
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2
as in skipping
to fail to attend
a warning that she had been cutting too many classes without valid excuses
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3
as in isolating
to deliberately ignore or treat rudely
the snobbish lady cut anyone who didn't meet her standards of wealth and social standing
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4
as in shaving
to make (something) shorter or smaller with the use of a cutting instrument
when you cut the pad, make it a little smaller than the carpet
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5
6
as in diluting
to alter (something) for the worse with the addition of foreign or lower-grade substances
the fruit juice was so cut with water that it was barely a fruit-flavored drink
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7
as in veering
to depart abruptly from a straight line or course
cut towards the goal, eluding a defender
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8
as in intersecting
to divide by passing through or across
a long mountain range virtually cuts that country in half
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9
as in analyzing
to identify and examine the basic elements or parts of (something) especially for discovering interrelationships
whichever way you cut it, we won't be seeing any profits from the business for at least three years
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cutting
Adjective
-
The socially biting comedy comes out at a time of political unrest in Argentina under Javier Milei’s presidency, a government marked by several funding cuts to culture.—
Rafa Sales Ross,
Variety,
6 Aug. 2025 -
No one mentioned the annoying swarms of tiny biting midges that plague Scotland’s west coast in the summer.—
Angus MacKinnon,
CNN Money,
3 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
As the moon is covered by the inner part of Earth's shadow during the eclipse, sunlight not blocked by Earth is filtered through a thick slice of Earth's atmosphere before reaching the moon's surface, NASA explained.—
Jenna Prestininzi,
Freep.com,
13 Aug. 2025
-
Its demographics skew younger and more female, with content that leans into fantasy, romance, horror, comedy and slice of life genres.—
Rob Salkowitz,
Forbes.com,
12 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
One issue that is rarely mentioned involves the potential harsh blowback that heavy drinkers might experience when suddenly skipping alcohol for a full month.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes,
3 Jan. 2025
-
The crawl from one to the other matters as much as the enlightenment itself—skipping the charnel grounds isn’t an option.—
Jackson Arn,
The New Yorker,
2 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Luckily, Pattinson manages to keep things buoyant without diluting the late-capitalism metaphors or the melancholy existentialism.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
6 Mar. 2025
-
One common pitfall is trying to merge every element of a marketing campaign into a single effort, diluting its effectiveness.—
Alex Khassa,
Forbes,
4 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
This involves scoping out and analyzing where to do fuel reduction, and monitoring smoke after lightning strikes and at campgrounds.—
Dua Anjum,
Rolling Stone,
14 Mar. 2025
-
By analyzing the content surrounding an ad rather than individual user data, agents can deliver relevant messaging that feels personal and timely.—
Mike Villalobos,
Forbes,
14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
The comments were greeted by sharp statements from several Arab states, which condemned the use of the term as provocative and counterproductive to peace.—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
14 Aug. 2025
-
Offensive coordinator Kirby Moore has welcomed the push on both sides and has emphasized the competition has kept each quarterback sharp knowing the other is ready.—
Zach Sweet,
Kansas City Star,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The poem is part love quest, part account of Italy’s battles; in places profoundly serious, in places satiric.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
11 June 2025
-
Neither damning nor satiric, W. is oddly wistful, almost regretful — rare sentiments in a Stone film.—
Will Leitch,
Vulture,
17 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Officials have cited cuts to federal research funding, along with changing policies on student loans and international students.—
Kate Armanini,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Aug. 2025
-
The letter placed at his door Friday admonished him for that vote and called on him to vote against cuts to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and public education when Congress returns to Washington, D.C., in September.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 Aug. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Cutting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cutting. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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