pruning

verb

present participle of prune
as in shaving
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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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 pruning Rinse your pruners in this solution, then dry them before continuing with your pruning work. — David Beaulieu, The Spruce, 22 July 2026 Daily tours allow the public to view the colorful creations and sometimes even spot the monarch himself out dead-heading the roses or pruning shrubs. — Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 22 July 2026 Because the cost of not pruning is cumulative and easy to miss. — Nell Derick Debevoise Dewey, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026 He was paired with a more experienced colleague and learned through instruction and hands-on practice how to care for pines and azaleas, mainly using a hand-pruning technique essential for the Imperial Palace and villas. — Hiroshige Yazawa Japan News, Arkansas Online, 19 July 2026 And one way to ensure this plant keeps producing delicious fruit throughout the season is by pruning. — Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 18 July 2026 Joanna Glovinsky runs a local fruit tree pruning and education company called Fruitstitute. — Pedro Moura, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026 That effectively restricted membership of the imperial family to immediate relatives of then Emperor Hirohito, pruning 11 collateral branches, and setting the scene for the current shortage. — Hanako Montgomery, CNN Money, 14 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pruning
  1. shaving
  2. trimming
  3. cutting
  4. clipping
  5. mowing
Verb
  • Try roasting it with olive oil and salt, sautéing it and adding it to a pasta or grain bowl, or shaving it with a vegetable peeler and adding the raw strips to a salad for some crunch.
    — Sarah Anzlovar, Verywell Health, 20 July 2026
  • And while the results last much longer than shaving, each session typically takes more time, especially when treating larger areas like the legs.
    — Iman Balagam, Vogue, 17 July 2026
Definition of shaving
Verb
  • Rather than just trimming stems and plopping them in a vase, reflexing plays with the form of the flower by gently folding petals backwards to open up the bloom.
    — Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 18 July 2026
  • Even the Oklahoma City Thunder, who are still sitting on a huge haul of future draft capital, had to start trimming their supporting cast this offseason because Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams’ max extensions kicked in.
    — Bryan Toporek, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of trimming
Verb
  • Germany’s biggest automaker is planning a massive restructuring and cost-cutting program in response to intensifying competition from Chinese electric vehicle makers and higher tariffs on its exports to the United States.
    — Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 24 July 2026
  • This past winter, Madison lawmakers shot down a budget proposal that would have paid for a body camera program by cutting funds to the monitor.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 July 2026
Definition of cutting
Verb
  • Launched by General Mills in 1996, it was built to invite parents to turn ordinary grocery purchases into support for their child's school, originally by clipping box tops, now by scanning receipts in an app.
    — Karl Mawhinney, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • He was arrested crossing the border from Mexico into Texas in September 1981, according to a news clipping from the Chicago Tribune.
    — Doha Madani, NBC news, 16 July 2026
Definition of clipping
Verb
  • Unlike many apps that accompany smart tech, Anthbot's is made for people who might be setting up their first self-mowing gadget.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 19 July 2026
  • To achieve this look, start by mowing around the perimeter of your yard, then mow straight across the lawn, turn around, and cut in the opposite direction from an adjacent line.
    — Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 18 July 2026
Definition of mowing

Browse Nearby Words

prunes
pruning
prurience
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Cite this Entry

“Pruning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pruning. Accessed 25 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of pruning for Spanish Speakers

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