pruned 1 of 2

pruned

2 of 2

verb

past tense of prune
as in shaved
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

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 pruned
Adjective
Never leave pruned plant debris lying around the base of the tomato. Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2026
Verb
Airlines pruned schedules this year, which can mean fewer flights per day or week on a certain route. Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 2 Aug. 2026 Maintenance Pruning Aside from deadheading, peonies should not be pruned until fall unless their leaves die back and dry out with disease. Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 31 July 2026 Everbearing varieties can be pruned for either a single fall crop or two harvests. Rachel Silva, Martha Stewart, 27 July 2026 Look for citrus varieties grafted onto dwarf or semi-dwarf rootstock so the citrus tree stays small and doesn’t need to be pruned or re-potted as often. Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 July 2026 But this year the shrub and tree forms, pruned and unpruned, are full of colorful clusters of blooms. Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 July 2026 Like their patron, mary in the junkyard’s work is rooted in an experimentalism that’s pruned into the kinds of shapes a passing commuter can quickly understand. Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 7 July 2026 The result is a system that’s less capable generally but still very good at the specific job it was pruned for, Rovai says. David Berreby, IEEE Spectrum, 6 July 2026 They are edited, softened, brokered, litigated, sentimentalized, and pruned. Literary Hub, 26 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pruned
Adjective
  • The fix is usually a trimmed hedge and a simple letter.
    Gary Singer, Sun Sentinel, 25 June 2026
  • Prevent ant hills by maintaining trimmed grass, removing debris, tilling soil, and planting pest-repellent herbs like mint or basil.
    Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 June 2026
Verb
  • Joe Mack shaved the Marlins’ deficit to 5-3 with a two-run homer off AJ Blubaugh in the seventh, his ninth home run of the season and second of the series.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 22 July 2026
  • Giffords was hooked up to tubes and monitors, and her head was shaved.
    Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 20 July 2026
Verb
  • At the same time, the data shows, courts have severely cut the length of time many people are getting to prepare for complex immigration proceedings, from about six months to often just a little more than a month.
    ABC News, ABC News, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Using a paring knife, mark a smaller square inside each pastry square, leaving a 1/2 inch border (do not cut all the way through the dough).
    Torie Cox, Southern Living, 1 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The second worker was clipped in the jaw by a misfiring nail gun.
    Kevin Kruse, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
  • The busy section of road had been closed since July 13, when a truck traveling east clipped the underside of the span.
    Joseph Flaherty, Arkansas Online, 30 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Pruned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pruned. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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