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
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.
Recent Examples of paring
Stephanie Ganz, Southern Living, 7 July 2025
Using a sharp paring knife, start at the head end, and slice lengthwise along the back about three-fourths of the way through (do not cut all the way through), following the natural groove.
—Sabrina Weiss, People.com, 4 July 2025
Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 18 Sep. 2025
The feat was accomplished through various TV rights, corporate sponsorship and a reliance on existing venues, paring infrastructure costs.
—R. Daniel Foster, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for paring
Noun
Use a sharp paring knife to cut 4 slits in the top crust for steam to escape.
—Stephanie Ganz, Southern Living, 7 July 2025
Using a sharp paring knife, start at the head end, and slice lengthwise along the back about three-fourths of the way through (do not cut all the way through), following the natural groove.
—Sabrina Weiss, People.com, 4 July 2025
Verb
In response, companies are paring back.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 18 Sep. 2025
The feat was accomplished through various TV rights, corporate sponsorship and a reliance on existing venues, paring infrastructure costs.
—R. Daniel Foster, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for paring
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paring
Noun
-
Service members stationed in the Pacific recently received notice that enlistees with shaving waivers will not be allowed to attend Hegseth’s upcoming Camp Humphreys rally, according to military site Task & Purpose.—
Brian Niemietz,
Mercury News,
29 Oct. 2025
-
Even as the weather gets chillier and bare-skin season winds down, hair removal—via shaving, trimming, or lasering—remains a year-round habit for many of us.—
Lily Wohlner,
Allure,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In 2022, debris from an underwater volcanic eruption severed the island's only subsea communication cable, cutting the island off from the rest of the world.—
Magdalena Petrova,
CNBC,
8 Nov. 2025
-
Richard’s motor ran high despite the lopsided score, cutting for two layups and also canning a 3-pointer to put up a quick seven points in the period.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
And then there is the guilty past alluded to in those clippings, the memory of which frequently strikes her down with debilitating pain and nausea.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Officers who went to Sellers’s house found a collection of newspaper clippings from the time frame in which Lee was found dead.—
Olivia B. Waxman,
Time,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Tidy it up, trimming off any leggy, weak winter growth.—
Leanne Potts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Arrange soaked ladyfingers in a single layer in bottom of an 8-inch square baking dish, trimming or breaking ladyfingers as needed to fit.—
Amanda Holstein,
Southern Living,
9 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
After cutting and trimming any splinters, place the stakes behind the trellis.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
21 Oct. 2025
-
The revelation felt like a splinter that lodged itself in Kai’s heart.—
Johnny Dodd,
PEOPLE,
11 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Really, this is only a sliver of a joke.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
7 Nov. 2025
-
About 1 foot from the shoot tip, make a 1 to 2 inch incision along the stem and through a bud to create a wedge; prop the wedge open with a sliver of wood such as a toothpick.—
Luke Miller,
Better Homes & Gardens,
6 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Paring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paring. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share