cutting 1 of 3

adjective

Definition of cuttingnext
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 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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cutting

2 of 3

noun

ˈkə-tiŋ How to pronounce cutting (audio)
as in slice
a piece that has been separated from the whole by cutting a bag full of grass cuttings

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cutting

3 of 3

verb

present participle of cut
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
as in mowing
to shorten the standing leafy plant cover of you need to cut the lawn very soon—before it becomes a jungle

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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

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 cutting
Verb
The sanctions are aimed at cutting the ICC off from the global financial system and include threats of punishment for countries that do business with the court. — Susannah George, Washington Post, 9 Oct. 2026 The city faced a $1-billion budget shortfall in 2025 but, after various cost-cutting measures, managed to set aside funding for the LAPD to hire more than 500 new officers in the coming year. — Sean Greene, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026 Some Silicon Valley tech moguls began cutting ties with the state in anticipation of the tax, including Brin and his fellow Google co-founder, Larry Page. — ABC News, 9 Oct. 2026 After cleaning the pizza slicer, an employee proceeded to return it to the pizza cutting table without sanitizing. — Sacbee.com, 9 Oct. 2026 Apple — Shares were down more than 2% after Nikkei Asia reported that the company was cutting component orders for its iPhone 18 Pro following weaker-than-expected demand. — Davis Giangiulio, CNBC, 9 Oct. 2026 How to Cut Down on Body Odor Palinski-Wade suggested cutting sulfur-rich foods, trimming red meat and very spicy meals while drinking more water and eating more fruits and vegetables, a shift that lines up with everyday healthy eating goals. — Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Oct. 2026 In a sign of growing staff unrest over the steady stream of cost-cutting announcements across the BBC, some workers made their feelings known on a Microsoft Teams call earlier this week. — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 2 Oct. 2026 My focus is cutting traffic gridlock through AI light synchronization, equipping police with advanced tech, protecting residential zoning against over-development, and streamlining municipal permitting with strict fiscal accountability. — Miami Herald Staff, Miami Herald, 25 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cutting
  1. biting
  2. sharp
  3. satiric
  4. slice
  5. slicing
  6. skipping
  7. isolating
  8. shaving
Adjective
  • Her version is louder and more biting, but never at the sacrifice of the track’s spirit.
    — Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 3 Oct. 2026
  • In 2022, Lee County’s Mosquito Control District decided to try aiming radiation at mosquitoes instead, specifically the biting, disease-carrying kind — Aedes aegypti.
    — Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of biting
Adjective
  • Aldabra’s landscape consists of sharp coral and thick, tangled vegetation.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2026
  • The continuing tremors represented a sharp increase from the more than 47 aftershocks reported by Rivera during a Friday afternoon news conference.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of sharp
Adjective
  • No working of any system or joy gathered from an unprovable satirical angle.
    — Sean Joseph OutKick, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The case could become noteworthy precedent for social media companies that rely on targets’ intellectual property in attempting to offer critical or satirical commentary.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of satiric
Noun
  • Using a long knife and wiping off with a damp kitchen towel between cuts, slice blondie into 9 squares.
    — Tanya Bush, Bon Appetit Magazine, 10 Oct. 2026
  • One serving equals a slice of whole-grain bread, half a cup of cooked oats, half a cup of brown rice or a small bowl of whole-grain cereal.
    — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of slice
Verb
  • Then Bottura started saucing it, slicing it and feeding event attendees who had gathered to watch the spectacle unfold.
    — Melinda Sheckells, HollywoodReporter, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Marshall threw him into space, and Nagy did the rest, slicing through the heart of Arizona State’s defense and racing into the end zone to cut the deficit to 24-14 and give KU a semblance of late life.
    — Taylor Eldridge, Kansas City Star, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of slicing
Verb
  • The cost of the line-skipping feature Lightning Lane, which can fluctuate based on crowding levels, now has a top price of $38, an increase of $1.
    — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Red flags are about conduct, not decor Warning signs include skipping the medical-history review, pressuring you to purchase treatment immediately, or refusing to name the device and the person who will operate it.
    — Malana VanTyler, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of skipping
Verb
  • In San Francisco, for instance, isolating Flock's contribution is especially difficult.
    — Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 2 Oct. 2026
  • But far from being isolating, a book is something to discuss, to share, to fight over, to flirt and fall in love over, to walk through hand-in-hand.
    — James Folta, Literary Hub, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of isolating
Verb
  • After finally shaving his beard off, Colbert concluded the interview by gifting Kimmel something special from his show.
    — Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Colbert had no hesitation about taking the tool to his facial hair, shaving it off and returning to his recognizable clean-shaven look.
    — Michelle Lee, PEOPLE, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of shaving

Phrases Containing cutting

Browse Nearby Words

cutthroats
cutting
cutting (across)
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Cite this Entry

“Cutting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cutting. Accessed 13 Oct. 2026.

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