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
Clara McMahon, PEOPLE, 28 Nov. 2025
Using sharp paring knife, cut four 1 1/2-inch long slits in top of dough (think of a clock for slit placement at 12,3,6,9 positions).
—Cathy Thomas, Oc Register, 13 Oct. 2025
Emily Nicolle, Fortune, 23 Mar. 2026
Gas prices in Europe soared as much as 35% on Thursday and oil jumped as much as 10%, before paring gains by mid-afternoon.
—Bart Jansen, USA Today, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for paring
Noun
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
Using sharp paring knife, cut four 1 1/2-inch long slits in top of dough (think of a clock for slit placement at 12,3,6,9 positions).
—Cathy Thomas, Oc Register, 13 Oct. 2025
Verb
The original cryptocurrency advanced more than 5% to trade as high as $71,794 in New York before paring some of the gain.
—Emily Nicolle, Fortune, 23 Mar. 2026
Gas prices in Europe soared as much as 35% on Thursday and oil jumped as much as 10%, before paring gains by mid-afternoon.
—Bart Jansen, USA Today, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for paring
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paring
Noun
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While no actual showers are possible, each astronaut has a personal kit including no-rinse shampoo, baby wipes, toothbrushes and shaving accessories.—
Jacopo Prisco,
CNN Money,
7 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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That the Illini couldn’t complete their comeback attempt despite cutting it to four in the final minutes was dismaying.—
Colleen Kane,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
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There was a ribbon-cutting ceremony a couple of hours before the game, gigantic scissors slicing a pink ribbon.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The rise of clipping, says Schwartz, has leveled the promotional playing field as the record business is in the midst of a larger post-streaming transformation.—
Steven J. Horowitz,
Variety,
26 Mar. 2026
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According to Myers’s new book William and Catherine: The Monarchy’s New Era: The Inside Story, after William and Kate were nonchalant about everything, staff turned to historical clippings for inspiration on what to do.—
Rachel Burchfield,
InStyle,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Bangladesh has launched fresh measures to curb energy consumption, cutting office hours and trimming public spending as conflict in the Middle East disrupts global fuel markets and strains power supply in the South Asian nation.—
Max Burman,
NBC news,
3 Apr. 2026
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After trimming the board’s budget for 2026, Meta plans to further reduce funding in 2027 and 2028, and potentially stop paying for it entirely after that, Platformer reports.—
Jon Martindale,
PC Magazine,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Unlike typical wooden options, this one offers much easier maintenance thanks to its high-density polyethylene (HDPE) build that won’t require repainting nor leave you with pesky splinters.—
Carly Totten,
Better Homes & Gardens,
31 Mar. 2026
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Injuries range from mouth splinters and choking to bowel blockages, eye damage, wounds, infections, or even sticks penetrating the body; vets have treated severe cases, some fatal.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Only a portion of the Moon is visible in frame below, with its curved edge revealing a bright sliver of sunlight returning after nearly an hour of darkness.—
Eric Berger,
ArsTechnica,
7 Apr. 2026
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Every second, that rice-sized sliver sifts through billions of bits of data on 20 watts of power.—
Philip Moyer,
Fortune,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Paring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paring. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
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