prunes

present tense third-person singular of prune
as in shaves
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

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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 prunes Cadet, who spent several years working as a florist, prunes the thick green stems of the faux lilies and roses. Elly Fishman, Vogue, 8 May 2026 Van Tassel prunes her tomatoes throughout the season for better air circulation. Lauren David, Southern Living, 3 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prunes
Verb
  • The decision to move elections to November shaves several months off the existing terms of the mayor, vice mayor and commissioners.
    Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2026
  • For beard trims and shaves, go to Pisterzi in Soho.
    The Editors, Curbed, 16 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Amid rising travel costs, Nguyen prioritizes travel in her budget and cuts expenses elsewhere.
    Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 22 June 2026
  • If the business stabilizes, cuts costs, sells an underperforming division, or improves capital allocation, the stock can re-rate quickly.
    Jim Osman, Forbes.com, 21 June 2026
Verb
  • Coppola's preferred version of the film, Final Cut, removes or trims a handful of sequences, including the exchange between Willard (Martin Sheen) and the Playboy Playmates, and Kurtz (Marlon Brando) reading from TIME magazine.
    Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 16 June 2026
  • For 2026, the hybrid is offered in LXS, EX, SX, and SX Prestige trims.
    Michael Harley, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
Verb
  • This compact tote folds into a small pouch that clips directly onto your keys and expands into a functional bag when needed.
    Corein Carter, Forbes.com, 29 May 2026
  • Joe Rodon clips a pass over the top of the Brentford defence for Calvert-Lewin to contest.
    Beren Cross, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • There are two levels of HyperSmooth available, standard and Boost, the latter of which crops into the frame a little more tightly to handle especially bumpy scenes.
    Jim Fisher, PC Magazine, 11 June 2026
  • When a user uploads a photo, the algorithm locates the bee, crops the image and compares it to our database.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 14 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Prunes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prunes. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.

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