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
Jorvik’s mountain trike models feel like the ideal gardening companion for riders with large gardens who want to store a few pruning or planting tools in the rear compartment.
—
Trinity Francis, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025
One method, known as pruning, entails removing unnecessary or inefficient parts of a neural network—the sprawling web of connected data points that underlies a large model.
—Stephen Ornes, Wired News, 13 Apr. 2025
Early summer-blooming clematis should be pruned lightly in late winter to remove dead or damaged wood.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 3 May 2025
Mount Dora urban forester Mark Miller and city staff will also lead workshops on native species, proper pruning techniques, and best planting practices.
—Orlando Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prune
Trinity Francis, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025
One method, known as pruning, entails removing unnecessary or inefficient parts of a neural network—the sprawling web of connected data points that underlies a large model.
—Stephen Ornes, Wired News, 13 Apr. 2025
Early summer-blooming clematis should be pruned lightly in late winter to remove dead or damaged wood.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 3 May 2025
Mount Dora urban forester Mark Miller and city staff will also lead workshops on native species, proper pruning techniques, and best planting practices.
—Orlando Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prune
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prune
Verb
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Wall Street's rebound came after the U.S. and China said in a joint statement earlier Monday that the U.S. will shave tariffs on Chinese goods down to 30 percent from as high as 145 percent.—
Sonam Sheth
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 May 2025
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It’s shaved into unruly ribbons, and half the contents spill from the sandwich.—
Jenn Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2025
Verb
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Republican bill cuts Medicaid for unemployed, undocumented children, Planned Parenthood How much do Americans rely on programs like Medicaid and Social Security?—
Riley Beggin,
USA Today,
23 May 2025
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During that same period, the company cut 3,000 jobs.—
Lindsay Owens,
Time,
22 May 2025
Verb
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The company also trimmed a smaller percentage of underperforming locations than Walmart has.—
,
CNBC,
19 May 2025
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The canvas tote is trimmed in green leather, adding a subtle splash of color to the versatile bag.—
Melony Forcier,
Travel + Leisure,
18 May 2025
Verb
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Eufy officially claims the E18 can mow for 90 to 110 minutes and cover about 1,076 to 1,614 square feet (or 100 to 150 square meters) on a single charge, which seems accurate (if not low) based on my testing.—
Tyler Hayes,
PC Magazine,
10 May 2025
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Main Street turns into a different kind of valley, one that funnels them into a line straight toward the four men holding flame throwers, ready to mow them down.—
Sara Netzley,
EW.com,
21 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Prune.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prune. Accessed 25 May. 2025.
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