lopping (off)

present participle of lop (off)
as in shaving
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

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for lopping (off)
Verb
  • Men in some communities stop shaving, while women may remove their jewelry.
    — Shushan Karapetian, The Conversation, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Like almost winning a race, almost shaving a second off my time for the 3200m run, my event in high school, the one that got me into college, a recruit for someone else to gamble on.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The plans were developed by the Department of Government Efficiency, a cost-cutting team initially overseen by billionaire Elon Musk, in response to a presidential order meant to rid the government of DEI programs.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Following its 2015 merger, the company adopted an aggressive cost-cutting mandate that leadership reported hitting, quarter after quarter, ahead of schedule.
    — Amer Al Ahbabi, Forbes.com, 30 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Karen Fernandez, lead esthetician at SkinSpirit, told Byrdie the theory is to let skin rebuild its protective stratum corneum layer, and that cutting back can also help identify products causing irritation or breakouts.
    — Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 26 Oct. 2026
  • But the serious conversations about cutting back on spending and raising taxes taking place in Europe are considerably less serious in the United States.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 20 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The Legislature has been trimming home building regulations and should continue.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026
  • During the winter holidays, millions of people are traveling, many of whom are expected at the Thanksgiving table or tree-trimming party.
    — Andrea Sachs, Washington Post, 24 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Their eulogy was her father, Fidel Banda, methodically clipping and arranging the flowers for his daughter.
    — Jesse Bedayn, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Not your average road dog, Berlant only recently began taking a notebook onstage and clipping her work for social media.
    — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 19 Oct. 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.

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Cite this Entry

“Lopping (off).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lopping%20%28off%29. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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