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
However, some plants need their foliage for protection over the winter and should instead be pruned in the spring. — Marie Iannotti, The Spruce, 22 Sep. 2026 Climbing Roses Climbing roses should not be pruned in the fall except to remove broken branches. — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 10 Sep. 2026 Small plantings can be pruned back by hand with pruners, while larger beds can be tackled by mowing the plants down with your lawnmower deck set on the highest setting. — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Sep. 2026 Beyond this zone, vegetation should be pruned, thinned and adequately spaced to avoid flames easily spreading. — John Abatzoglou, The Conversation, 3 Aug. 2026 Airlines pruned schedules this year, which can mean fewer flights per day or week on a certain route. — Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 2 Aug. 2026 Everbearing varieties can be pruned for either a single fall crop or two harvests. — Rachel Silva, Martha Stewart, 27 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pruned
Adjective
  • The seat is the sail, trimmed and re-trimmed as the wind changes.
    — Rob Green, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The fix is usually a trimmed hedge and a simple letter.
    — Gary Singer, Sun Sentinel, 25 June 2026
Verb
  • And that overall figure has been on a downward trend for the past several years as episode counts get shaved on series and major studios place fewer overall bets on movies or shows annually.
    — Erik Hayden, HollywoodReporter, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Colbert gifted Kimmel his Captain America shield, did a sketch-within-an-interview with his son impersonating a Kiwi police officer, and shaved for our amusement.
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The burger will drip all over your fries, which are included and cut like pickle chips.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Lamont and lawmakers have set aside $550 million from past state budget surpluses to mitigate federal human service programs cuts.
    — Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 26 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • And a review showed the fastball clipped the top of the strike zone.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026
  • The puck, connected by an optical tether, handles compute, battery and storage and can be slipped into (or clipped onto) a pocket or bag.
    — Tom Tapp, Deadline, 23 Sep. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pruned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pruned. Accessed 29 Sep. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster