as in cutting
to make (something) shorter or smaller with the use of a cutting instrument
pared the stray branches on the tree
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of paring
Jesse Raub, Bon Appetit Magazine, 9 Dec. 2025
This 13-piece knife set has six handy blades, including a large chef’s knife for chopping and a paring blade for smaller slices.
—Clara McMahon, PEOPLE, 28 Nov. 2025
Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
On these tracks Slayyyter uses her voice as a much blunter instrument than before, paring back the melisma and amping up the chants, barks, and outright screams.
—Harry Tafoya, Pitchfork, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for paring
Noun
Wüsthof’s Classic paring knife is sharp, well-made, and high quality.
—Jesse Raub, Bon Appetit Magazine, 9 Dec. 2025
This 13-piece knife set has six handy blades, including a large chef’s knife for chopping and a paring blade for smaller slices.
—Clara McMahon, PEOPLE, 28 Nov. 2025
Verb
Private economists are also paring their forecasts for interest rate cuts this year due to the risk that higher oil and fuel prices will reignite inflation, which remained well above the Fed's 2% annual target before the Iran war began.
—Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
On these tracks Slayyyter uses her voice as a much blunter instrument than before, paring back the melisma and amping up the chants, barks, and outright screams.
—Harry Tafoya, Pitchfork, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for paring
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paring
Noun
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While no actual showers were possible, each astronaut had a personal kit including no-rinse shampoo, baby wipes, toothbrushes and shaving accessories.—
Jackie Wattles,
CNN Money,
11 Apr. 2026
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While some users questioned the logic behind the move, others were particularly alarmed by the environment in which the shaving took place.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The 76ers got small cushions, with the Celtics cutting it to a point three additional times.—
Kyle Hightower,
Chicago Tribune,
3 May 2026
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School systems typically cope with declining enrollment by closing schools and cutting staff, among other options.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
2 May 2026
Noun
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And the cars can harvest more energy while super clipping—the full 350 kW rather than the 250 kW allowed in the first three race weekends this year.—
Jonathan M. Gitlin,
ArsTechnica,
20 Apr. 2026
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Chavez was the only person from his hometown of Gallup, New Mexico to be unaccounted for in the conflict, according to a local news clipping.—
Kerry Breen,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Tried to listen online while the neighbor made enough noise cutting and trimming his yard during the entire game.—
Ticked Off,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 Apr. 2026
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Steve Anderson was trimming a tree near a power line with his 17-year-old son on Saturday, April 18, when the accident occurred, according to Fox affiliate KOKI.—
Abigail Adams,
PEOPLE,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Some interpreted McVay’s demeanor on Thursday night as evidence of a splinter in one of the league’s most successful partnerships.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2026
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Not-so-splendid splinter During a 1976 game against the Dodgers at San Diego Stadium, Padres left-hander Randy Jones was pitching to the Dodgers’ Bill Russell to lead off the seventh inning.—
Kirk Kenney,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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That’s in large part because many of the Democrats have only slivers of daylight between their policies, and ditto for the two Republicans.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
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Two children watch him from behind while, in one sliver of the background on the top left side of the picture, a blazing red sunset overruns the sky.—
Daniel Cassady,
ARTnews.com,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Paring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paring. Accessed 4 May. 2026.
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