as in to shave
to make (something) shorter or smaller with the use of a cutting instrument
the hair stylist started by lopping off several inches from her long tresses, before beginning to shape what was left
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lop (off)
Verb
-
Now, Combs can shave a month off that four-year-plus sentence, as the Federal Bureau of Prisons has updated his release date to April 25, 2028, which is about five weeks forward from the original date of June 4 of the same year.—
Kevin Dolak,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Mar. 2026 -
Or, shave them raw for a crunchy slaw.—
Trista Chan,
Health,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Idaho lawmakers are trying to balance the budget this year after cutting over $450 million in revenue in 2025.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
7 Mar. 2026
-
One piece of legislation that's drawn a lot of attention is a resolution that could have cut property taxes for homeowners by 75% or more through a state constitutional amendment.—
Dan Raby,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Hockey East, despite its strong New England hockey brands, has long been a one-bid league, but this season the conference cut back on in-conference games, allowing for better out-of-conference math.—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
8 Mar. 2026
-
If your shrubs do not have young stems to work with, cut back the thick old stems to about 2 feet, just above the point where there is a young stem.—
Tim Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Even 20 years ago, film wasn’t as accessible or easily clipped together.—
Jourdan Rodrigue,
New York Times,
5 Mar. 2026
-
See the date announcement clip below.—
Denise Petski,
Deadline,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Though the system managed only a dim glow, Lorna was still grateful for the flick of a switch rather than the toil of refilling oil lamps and trimming candles.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Looking like an early aughts version of her mom, the model posed for a watery photo shoot in a sleeveless chiffon shift dress, as well as a a gauzy white sundress with spaghetti straps and lace trim.—
Chanel Vargas,
InStyle,
5 Mar. 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Lop (off).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lop%20%28off%29. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
