lopping (off)

verb

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for lopping (off)
  1. shaving
  2. cutting
  3. cutting back
  4. trimming
  5. clipping
Verb
  • Try roasting it with olive oil and salt, sautéing it and adding it to a pasta or grain bowl, or shaving it with a vegetable peeler and adding the raw strips to a salad for some crunch.
    — Sarah Anzlovar, Verywell Health, 20 July 2026
  • And while the results last much longer than shaving, each session typically takes more time, especially when treating larger areas like the legs.
    — Iman Balagam, Vogue, 17 July 2026
Definition of shaving
Verb
  • When cutting them back in the fall for the winter, leave a few branches for wildlife to use for protection, but be sure to remove all of the dead branches to reduce the risk of diseases.
    — Andrea Beck, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Broadcasters of all sizes, especially local station owners, have been battling cord-cutting and coping with ongoing audience and advertiser shifts away from linear viewing.
    — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of cutting
Verb
  • Leaving some long vines and cutting back others creates a fuller effect.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Her hospital has been cutting back on staffing and embracing technology that makes work harder for nurses, says Lucio.
    — Alana Semuels, Time, 30 July 2026
Definition of cutting back
Verb
  • Haskell's team is also staying high in quality and coupons, trimming lower-coupon exposures in favor of those that are upward of 5% that the firm thinks are better poised to handle periods of market uncertainty.
    — Darla Mercado, CFP®, CNBC, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Cut the fennel bulbs into quarters, trimming just a bit of the core (leave enough to hold the layers together), then slice thin.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of trimming
Verb
  • On the fourth pitch of the at-bat, Yamamoto turned to his splitter for the first time, barely clipping the inside edge of the strike zone.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Onwurah wrote the film in a time of fury over a news clipping.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 30 July 2026
Definition of clipping
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.

Browse Nearby Words

lopping
lopping (off)
lops
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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 11 Aug. 2026.

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