Synonyms of prune

prune

verb

as in to shave

to make (something) shorter or smaller with the use of a cutting instrument

pruned the dead branches from the old apple tree

Synonyms & Similar Words

• shave
• cut
• trim
• mow
• pare
• crop
• clip
• snip
• bob
• cut back
• shear
• nip
• dock
• lop (off)
• poll
• whittle
• shorten
• stump
• curtail
• pinch
• skive
• manicure

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• extend
• lengthen
• elongate

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of prune

States can help by pruning occupational licensing requirements and making credentials modular and stackable, so short qualifications add up into longer ones. — Eric Kutcher, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2026

It’s been a dynamic year with a varied complexion of transactions, from mega-mergers to portfolio pruning through corporate divestitures. — Kathryn Hopkins, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026

Big companies like UnitedHealth Group, Humana, and others are chasing higher profits by pruning benefits, after investors grew dissatisfied with margins that were smaller than the insurers had promised. — Bob Herman, STAT, 1 Oct. 2026

Like many bulbs, lilies store nutrients in their bulbs over winter, so pruning too early can reduce next year’s blooms of these perennial flowers. — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Sep. 2026