as in trimmed
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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
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Recent Examples of pruned
Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2026
Tessa Cooper, The Spruce, 12 June 2026
Ground-hugging plants can be pruned around the outer edges.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 11 June 2026
Old-wood hydrangeas, like bigleaf and oakleaf, can be pruned in summer right after flowers fade to protect next year’s buds.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 9 June 2026
The olive trees on the property are pruned sparingly, watered once a week during their first year, and left to take deep root in soil that will sustain them for decades.
—Pooja Mistry, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
Plants are less likely to catch fire if they are properly irrigated, pruned to remove all dead material, and free of fallen leaves, needles and twigs.
—The San Diego Union Tribune, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 May 2026
Several botanic gardens, such as South Coast Botanic Gardens in Rolling Hills Estates and the Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens in San Marino, have tulip and bulb gardens — the Huntington plants them in its famous rose garden to create filler color after the roses are pruned.
—Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 2 Jan. 2025
Prune As Needed Some vegetables won’t need to be pruned at all in indoor setups.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Dec. 2024
Adjective
Never leave pruned plant debris lying around the base of the tomato.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2026
Verb
Not all varieties should be pruned.
—Tessa Cooper, The Spruce, 12 June 2026
Ground-hugging plants can be pruned around the outer edges.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 11 June 2026
Old-wood hydrangeas, like bigleaf and oakleaf, can be pruned in summer right after flowers fade to protect next year’s buds.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 9 June 2026
The olive trees on the property are pruned sparingly, watered once a week during their first year, and left to take deep root in soil that will sustain them for decades.
—Pooja Mistry, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
Plants are less likely to catch fire if they are properly irrigated, pruned to remove all dead material, and free of fallen leaves, needles and twigs.
—The San Diego Union Tribune, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 May 2026
Several botanic gardens, such as South Coast Botanic Gardens in Rolling Hills Estates and the Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens in San Marino, have tulip and bulb gardens — the Huntington plants them in its famous rose garden to create filler color after the roses are pruned.
—Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 2 Jan. 2025
Prune As Needed Some vegetables won’t need to be pruned at all in indoor setups.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pruned
Adjective
-
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
-
Air drying your un-trimmed hair might feel flat and weighed down, making some of the features in your face feel out of proportion.—
Audrey Noble,
Vogue,
30 May 2026
Verb
-
The decision to move elections to November shaved several months off the existing terms of the mayor, vice mayor and commissioners.—
Michelle Marchante,
Miami Herald,
12 June 2026
-
Fermin’s second home run in as many days after going deep for the first time in 121 plate appearances briefly shaved the Padres’ deficit to 4-2 in the fifth inning.—
Jeff Sanders,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 June 2026
Verb
-
The moment came in the 73rd minute with a goal from Mauricio to cut the US advantage to 3-1.—
Jacob Lev,
CNN Money,
13 June 2026
-
Simpson robbed Adell of a homer in the eighth to keep the Rays within two, and Aranda cut it to 4-3 with a two-out single off Farris before Zeferjahn finished.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 June 2026
Verb
-
Citizen concerns over chemical exposure have temporarily clipped the wings of Munster’s mosquito-spraying regimen.—
Michelle L. Quinn,
Chicago Tribune,
6 June 2026
-
Win or lose, the plays will be clipped incessantly, jammed into highlight reels or viral tweets, and B-roll of fans flooding the streets past subway stops adorned in Knicks colors and Timberlands will be plastered all over a thousand documentaries.—
Kyle Wagner,
New York Daily News,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pruned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pruned. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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