1
as in shaving
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 shortening
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 ungenerosity
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cutting back
Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 6 Oct. 2025
His crossing has often been a source of frustration, sometimes ballooning the ball too often, taking too long to put it into the area or cutting back on himself hesitantly.
—Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
This year is especially important as chains try to reel in consumers who have been cutting back on discretionary spending.
—Auzinea Bacon, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2025
Drinking more water, increasing physical activity, eating potassium-rich foods, and cutting back on salt may improve excretion and potentially improve blood pressure.
—Md Published, Verywell Health, 26 Sep. 2025
After sleep, cutting back on alcohol and caffeine can be helpful.
—Megan Poinski, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Other educators who spoke to the Herald describe parents cutting back on extracurricular activities, avoiding school pick-up and drop-off lines, and even keeping children home to study informally.
—Miami Herald, 13 Sep. 2025
Start by cutting back the top growth to just a couple of inches to expose the crown of the plant.
—Rita Pelczar, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Sep. 2025
Gentle thinning of a magnolia will remove a few flowers, while cutting back all the branches to reduce its size can remove many of the flower buds, resulting in fewer flowers next spring.
—Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2025
Noun
Just in time for spooky gatherings, Friendsgiving feasts, and holiday baking marathons, Sam’s Club is cutting back its membership prices.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 6 Oct. 2025
His crossing has often been a source of frustration, sometimes ballooning the ball too often, taking too long to put it into the area or cutting back on himself hesitantly.
—Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
This year is especially important as chains try to reel in consumers who have been cutting back on discretionary spending.
—Auzinea Bacon, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2025
Drinking more water, increasing physical activity, eating potassium-rich foods, and cutting back on salt may improve excretion and potentially improve blood pressure.
—Md Published, Verywell Health, 26 Sep. 2025
After sleep, cutting back on alcohol and caffeine can be helpful.
—Megan Poinski, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Other educators who spoke to the Herald describe parents cutting back on extracurricular activities, avoiding school pick-up and drop-off lines, and even keeping children home to study informally.
—Miami Herald, 13 Sep. 2025
Start by cutting back the top growth to just a couple of inches to expose the crown of the plant.
—Rita Pelczar, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Sep. 2025
Gentle thinning of a magnolia will remove a few flowers, while cutting back all the branches to reduce its size can remove many of the flower buds, resulting in fewer flowers next spring.
—Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cutting back
Verb
-
Thankfully, a shelter volunteer, Nikki Miller, took up Chase’s cause, giving him a bath, trimming his nails and shaving his fur to get him back to looking his best again.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Sep. 2025
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However, the thawing of Russia’s northern coastline has opened a lane for vessels, shaving almost three weeks off shipping times compared to the journey around the Cape of Good Hope.—
Jeronimo Gonzalez,
semafor.com,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Or consider shortening your get-ready time in the morning with our preferred hot air brush and the sheer concealer that brightens under-eyes.—
Madison Yauger,
PEOPLE,
6 Oct. 2025
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The company’s ethos is centered on significantly shortening the drug discovery and development process, ultimately creating medicines to treat the most significant killers, starting with aggressive cancers like breast cancer, prostate cancer, and lymphoma.—
Alexa Mikhail,
Flow Space,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
What Warren fails to recognize is that the formula of progress that dictates these measures also dictates that they will someday be regarded as the ungenerosity of a primitive people.—
Greg Weiner,
National Review,
26 Sep. 2019
Verb
-
Little River Canyon National Preserve introduces visitors to a magnificent gorge that was created by the Little River cutting across the top of Lookout Mountain.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
4 Oct. 2025
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The trial was designed to appeal to cash-conscious customers, who’ve been cutting eating out from their budgets, hurting restaurants’ profits.—
Jordan Valinsky,
CNN Money,
4 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Among their inspiring behaviors, these characters deserve to also express pettiness and selfishness, or, at the very least, more wit.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
19 Sep. 2025
-
At a moment in American political culture when selfishness abides — when giving is seen as weakness and costly — Redford’s lesson feels timelier than ever.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Those savings could come from trimming what the government pays insurers to lower patients’ out-of-pocket costs or by reducing Medicare payments to doctors.—
Christopher Robertson,
The Conversation,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Best Christmas Tree Decoration Deals Bring some Christmas spirit to every branch by trimming your tree with these decorations.—
Toni Sutton,
PEOPLE,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Heat guards Terry Rozier (strained left hamstring) and Herro (left ankle surgery), and forward Simone Fontecchio (left lower leg tightness) were held out of practice on Tuesday and aren’t expected to play in Wednesday’s preseason game.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
7 Oct. 2025
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Facilitating the revs in our tester is a six-speed manual gearbox, which impressed us in its tightness between shift gates, good spring, and modest throw.—
Peter Nelson,
Robb Report,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Like NexLawn's upcoming Vidar robo-mowers, the futuristic rover will navigate the garden using LiDAR and vision sensors while clipping the grass.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Its audio comes through clean and detail-rich, with noise cancelling and automatic limiting to handle background chaos without clipping your voice.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
9 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cutting back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cutting%20back. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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