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
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Recent Examples of prune
Shrubs that flower in summer and fall are best pruned in early spring.
—
Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Mar. 2026
Only part of the orchard had been pruned when Sarb Johl called off the job.
—Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 26 Feb. 2026
Steiner suggests pruning your non-spring-flowering plants to improve airflow and sunlight exposure.
—Alexandra Kelly, Martha Stewart, 22 Feb. 2026
Professionals who prune commitments deliberately protect their bandwidth for higher-impact opportunities.
—Bryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 21 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for prune
Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Mar. 2026
Only part of the orchard had been pruned when Sarb Johl called off the job.
—Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 26 Feb. 2026
Steiner suggests pruning your non-spring-flowering plants to improve airflow and sunlight exposure.
—Alexandra Kelly, Martha Stewart, 22 Feb. 2026
Professionals who prune commitments deliberately protect their bandwidth for higher-impact opportunities.
—Bryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 21 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for prune
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prune
Verb
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Out of the 286 original applicants, the list of finalists has been shaved down to 21, according to one of the finalists.—
Lina Ruiz,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
17 Mar. 2026
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The new rule will allow people who file on their own to shave up to $1,000 off their taxable income, or $2,000 for married couples who file jointly.—
Jon Bergdoll,
The Conversation,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Even as Michigan State came roaring back in the second half, cutting the lead to just two in the final minute, UCLA never flinched.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Mar. 2026
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Orangefield cut the lead to 8 points a couple of times late in the game, but Cobb made 5 of 6 free throws in the final 46 seconds to keep the Bobcats at bay.—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The city is on track to release a catalogue of eight pre-approved designs this year to streamline the process and trim costs on homeowners.—
Mark Dee
March 12,
Idaho Statesman,
12 Mar. 2026
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How To Dethatch Your Lawn The day before dethatching, mow your lawn as usual to trim the grass and remove excess debris from the lawn, then water the lawn lightly.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Reducing the need to mow reduces hearing damage and vibration injuries to lawn crews.—
Doug Ross,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Mar. 2026
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These buffer strips don’t have to be mowed like traditional lawns, and the only maintenance required is to pull out invasive or woody plant species.—
Markis Hill,
Kansas City Star,
15 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Prune.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prune. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.
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