as in to shave
to make (something) shorter or smaller with the use of a cutting instrument
pared the stray branches on the tree
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Recent Examples of pare
Since no one wants clutter crowding their new space, paring down belongings often comes with the territory.
—
Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 19 Feb. 2026
Late last year, Was received a text from Weir, relaying specific instructions about how to pare back the music even more and play fewer notes in the future.
—David Browne, Rolling Stone, 17 Feb. 2026
Some stocks have since pared their losses.
—Sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 16 Feb. 2026
That instinct—to layer rather than pare back—extends beyond soft furnishings to the home’s harder-working spaces.
—Leonora Epstein, Architectural Digest, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pare
Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 19 Feb. 2026
Late last year, Was received a text from Weir, relaying specific instructions about how to pare back the music even more and play fewer notes in the future.
—David Browne, Rolling Stone, 17 Feb. 2026
Some stocks have since pared their losses.
—Sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 16 Feb. 2026
That instinct—to layer rather than pare back—extends beyond soft furnishings to the home’s harder-working spaces.
—Leonora Epstein, Architectural Digest, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pare
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pare
Verb
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Pacific Ridge shaved six points off the deficit, outscoring the Komets in the third quarter.—
John Maffei,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 Feb. 2026
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And the longest-ever government shutdown shaved a bunch of productivity off the books in the fourth quarter – growth that the US economy should be making back this quarter.—
David Goldman,
CNN Money,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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This week’s spat in Belgium came soon after the US ambassador to Poland, Tom Rose, announced on February 5 that the US would cut ties with Włodzimierz Czarzasty, the speaker of Poland’s lower parliament, the Sejm.—
Christian Edwards,
CNN Money,
21 Feb. 2026
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Superintendent Brian Yearwood originally proposed cutting academic instructional coaches as part of a plan to address a $188 million deficit in the 2026-27 budget.—
Kathryn Muchnick,
Louisville Courier Journal,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The jersey also includes a jock tag depicting a dove carrying an olive branch, while the Pride’s familiar purple trims the collar, cuffs and player lettering.—
Kyle Foley,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 Feb. 2026
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Cheese quesadillas are sliced into inch-long planks, crusts are trimmed off sandwiches to stave off a potential meltdown, and even grapes are halved.—
Alaina Chou,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
26 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pare.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pare. Accessed 28 Feb. 2026.
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