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
Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 30 Apr. 2026
The plants have a pleasing, loose habit when not pruned regularly.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Apr. 2026
New wood hydrangeas are pruned in late winter or early spring, before new growth begins.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 24 Apr. 2026
The seat is deliberately situated for maximum forest and sunrise view, and over the years the neighboring field had been an apple orchard pruned out to favor maturing maple trees that are used for tapping.
—Literary Hub, 23 Apr. 2026
Different plants need to be pruned at different times of the year, so always do a bit of research before bringing out your gardening shears.
—Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 15 Apr. 2026
It was also revealed in court that the tree had not been pruned in 15 to 20 years.
—Abigail Adams, PEOPLE, 14 Apr. 2026
Checking under leaves regularly and keeping your plants pruned for airflow can make a real difference.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Apr. 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
Adjective
Never leave pruned plant debris lying around the base of the tomato.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2026
Verb
These shoots should be pruned since ants will carry scale insects onto the plants via ground-rubbing leaves.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 30 Apr. 2026
The plants have a pleasing, loose habit when not pruned regularly.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Apr. 2026
New wood hydrangeas are pruned in late winter or early spring, before new growth begins.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 24 Apr. 2026
The seat is deliberately situated for maximum forest and sunrise view, and over the years the neighboring field had been an apple orchard pruned out to favor maturing maple trees that are used for tapping.
—Literary Hub, 23 Apr. 2026
Different plants need to be pruned at different times of the year, so always do a bit of research before bringing out your gardening shears.
—Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 15 Apr. 2026
It was also revealed in court that the tree had not been pruned in 15 to 20 years.
—Abigail Adams, PEOPLE, 14 Apr. 2026
Checking under leaves regularly and keeping your plants pruned for airflow can make a real difference.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Apr. 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pruned
Adjective
-
White was one of seven players used by Self in a trimmed rotation that resulted in four players in double-digit scoring and three players with eight points each.—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
14 Jan. 2026
-
Each accommodation includes a trimmed Christmas tree, fireplace, and outdoor hot tub—ensuring comfort for couples or families settling in for a long winter’s night.—
Wendy O'Dea,
Robb Report,
28 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Reiner, with his head shaved and a scruffy goatee, wore a yellow prison top with blue prison pants.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Shortly after revealing her diagnosis in February 2025, Mellencamp shaved her head to prep for surgery to remove a few of the tumors.—
Ashley Hume,
FOXNews.com,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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At the same time, Bass has proposed cutting entirely the Animal Services Department’s annual budget for food, which was $200,000 last year, and also slashing the medical supplies budget to $49,000, from $388,000 last year.—
Sandra McDonald,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
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But now that the post-pandemic boom has well and truly gone bust, just showing up with a great looking timepiece isn’t going to cut it.—
Lily Templeton,
Footwear News,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
Christopher Bell, an Oklahoma native who considers Texas his home track, led 22 laps and was still near the front on lap 69 when he got clipped by Todd Gilliland, who spun ahead of him.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 May 2026
-
Edmundson, who’d lost MacKinnon on his first goal, atoned by receiving Kempe’s pass in the high slot and flicking a shot that clipped Wedgewood on its way into the net.—
Andrew Knoll,
Daily News,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pruned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pruned. Accessed 6 May. 2026.
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