1
as in biting
causing intense discomfort to one's skin
a frigid day with a cutting wind that made it seem even colder
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 satiric
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cutting
Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2026
Porter focused on cutting bureaucracy, calling for a single statewide development permit to streamline approvals and reduce delays.
—Noe Padilla, USA Today, 9 May 2026
Thumb knives are silicone sleeves that slip over your thumb and hold a small blade where your thumbnail is located, giving you more cutting power per pinch.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 9 May 2026
Things got dicey in the top of the ninth for right-hander Caleb Kilian when the Pirates’ Spencer Horwitz hit an RBI single, cutting the Giants’ lead to 5-2 and bringing the tying run to the plate, but Kilian managed to lock down the win.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 9 May 2026
The flowers are excellent for cutting for bouquets.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 9 May 2026
Woodbury leaders, developers and Amazon employees celebrated the launch with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on May 4.
—Talia McWright, Twin Cities, 9 May 2026
Under her leadership, the AfD has proposed cutting taxes, reducing bureaucracy, and reviving Germany’s dormant nuclear energy sector.
—Nick Tabor, Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 May 2026
The 76ers got small cushions, with the Celtics cutting it to a point three additional times.
—Kyle Hightower, Chicago Tribune, 3 May 2026
Verb
The back-to-back debates offered plenty of cutting moments as Mayor Karen Bass, Councilmember Nithya Raman and reality television star Spencer Pratt faced off against each other.
—Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2026
Porter focused on cutting bureaucracy, calling for a single statewide development permit to streamline approvals and reduce delays.
—Noe Padilla, USA Today, 9 May 2026
Thumb knives are silicone sleeves that slip over your thumb and hold a small blade where your thumbnail is located, giving you more cutting power per pinch.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 9 May 2026
Things got dicey in the top of the ninth for right-hander Caleb Kilian when the Pirates’ Spencer Horwitz hit an RBI single, cutting the Giants’ lead to 5-2 and bringing the tying run to the plate, but Kilian managed to lock down the win.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 9 May 2026
The flowers are excellent for cutting for bouquets.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 9 May 2026
Woodbury leaders, developers and Amazon employees celebrated the launch with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on May 4.
—Talia McWright, Twin Cities, 9 May 2026
Under her leadership, the AfD has proposed cutting taxes, reducing bureaucracy, and reviving Germany’s dormant nuclear energy sector.
—Nick Tabor, Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 May 2026
The 76ers got small cushions, with the Celtics cutting it to a point three additional times.
—Kyle Hightower, Chicago Tribune, 3 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cutting
Adjective
-
Netflix’s big comedy bet might be the Dan Levy–Rachel Sennott co-creation Big Mistakes; the biting, farcical series about adult siblings who get caught up in the drug business plays like Weeds crossed with The Other Two.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
2 May 2026
-
The tracks are more vulnerable, biting, and self-aware than ever, and in some cases, feature lyrics pulled right out of Hjelt’s diary.—
Charisma Madarang,
Rolling Stone,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Part satirical, part political, the BAFTA-winning film and subsequent album, Fine Art — a level up from their 2018 Irish-language mixtape 3CAG — solidified Kneecap’s place in music, earning them fans worldwide who come out in droves to their gigs and turning them into a popular festival draw.—
Lily Moayeri,
SPIN,
6 May 2026
-
The Boys is an American satirical dark comedy television show that flips the conventional superhero narrative on its head by imagining a society where superpowers are abused for influence and profit.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
5 May 2026
Noun
-
Crispy tostada shells get a swoosh of smoky chipotle mayo, plus fanned slices of juicy mango and creamy avocado.—
Nina Moskowitz,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
10 May 2026
-
This sort of attention to dessert is otherwise increasingly rare; too many ambitious kitchens pour all their resources into their savory menus and then punt on the sweet courses, serving a scoop of gelato in a fancy coupe, or a slice of cake assembled off-site.—
Helen Rosner,
New Yorker,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
His girlfriend in stirrups, her assistant slicing the fruit with a scalpel instead of a chef’s knife.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 May 2026
-
Don't Crowd Determinate Tomatoes Most paste varieties, patio, and compact selections, and some slicing tomatoes are determinate.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 May 2026
Verb
-
Travelers are skipping the standard spa weekend and booking entire trips around hot springs, cold plunges and steam circuits — what the industry now calls a water getaway.—
Hanna Wickes,
Sacbee.com,
8 May 2026
-
On a recent podcast with Michelle Obama, Reese made her stance on skipping media sessions clear.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
In past outbreaks of the Andes virus, taking steps such as isolating people who are sick — and asking those who aren’t sick but have been exposed to stay away from others — have brought outbreaks to an end.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2026
-
Plenty of teams have found joy by isolating Chelsea’s defenders with a long ball over the top and City are not above doing so.—
Cerys Jones,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
This awesome little robovac-mop is literally shaving a full workday a week off her already insane I'm-a-mom schedule.—
Joe Salas
May 09,
New Atlas,
9 May 2026
-
Sobbing while shaving head in…what’s that movie?—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
Red clover stands taller, is less amenable to mowing, and can be short-lived.—
Hallie Milstein,
Southern Living,
13 May 2026
-
Avoid mowing in the early morning or mid-day, as wet grass and strong sunlight can harm your lawn.—
Helena Madden,
Martha Stewart,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cutting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cutting. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
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