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
  • The researchers estimated that those who got neither bright days nor dark nights were shaving five years off their lives.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 June 2026
  • The criticism died down only after shaving off nanoseconds became widespread, making the strategy less profitable.
    Gary Sernovitz, New Yorker, 15 June 2026
Verb
  • The lead stretched to 12 before Brunson and the Knicks rallied again, cutting the lead down to five halfway through the quarter.
    Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 14 June 2026
  • What else is going on AI is cutting hours of office work for workers.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2026
Verb
  • For those looking to protect their long-term health, researchers emphasized that cutting back to one drink or giving up alcohol entirely appears to be the best strategy.
    Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 12 June 2026
  • For some, that includes cutting back on other necessities such as food, budgeting strictly to afford half a tank of gas a week and rethinking side hustles such as food delivery service.
    Lily Wright, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2026
Verb
  • Ensuring your porch is unwelcoming by relocating bird baths or feeders and trimming nearby trees can prevent birds from making nests.
    Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 13 June 2026
  • Midfielder Mauricio pulled one back for Paraguay in the 73rd minute, trimming the United States' lead to 3-1.
    Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 13 June 2026
Verb
  • The plane crashed on the road, clipping a car and breaking apart.
    Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 17 June 2026
  • Allbirds is clipping its wings — again.
    Lily Wright, Los Angeles Times, 17 June 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 20 Jun. 2026.

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