as in short
having relatively little height
he was an unpleasant, sawed-off man who seemed to believe that aggressiveness could make up for his perceived deficiency
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 sawed-off
None of this felt realistic, especially not Colman Domingo’s sawed-off-shotgun-wielding Ali shooting up Alamo’s club in his mentee Rue’s honor, shattering a mask of poise that had defined his character (like the whiplash of Khaleesi’s end of Game of Thrones rogue era).
—
Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 2 June 2026
The Senate kept the provision on silencers in its version of the bill and expanded upon it, adding short-barreled, or sawed-off, rifles and shotguns.
—Arkansas Online, 28 June 2025
Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 2 June 2026
The Senate kept the provision on silencers in its version of the bill and expanded upon it, adding short-barreled, or sawed-off, rifles and shotguns.
—Arkansas Online, 28 June 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sawed-off
Adjective
-
The resort's short course, The Clutch, takes full advantage of the scenic setting, and fishing charters and nature tours are available from the marina.—
Allison Tibaldi,
USA Today,
9 June 2026
-
All of this might seem a lot to go through for a few short words, but since those words are the first impression of the book, and have to be intriguing all on their own, the effort was well worthwhile—enough, hopefully, to invite readers to pick up the book and make their own decision.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 June 2026
Adjective
-
When Gary Vernon began riding mountain bikes in Arkansas almost 40 years ago, there was very little infrastructure intended for riders without deep experience—or a devil-may-care attitude.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
-
Emergency reserves have little oil to spare and fuel stockpiles are facing critical lows as peak summer demand months approach.—
Devika Krishna Kumar,
Fortune,
6 June 2026
Adjective
-
The National Federation of Independent Business has warned that small businesses and consumers who rely on energy, rather than oil giants, will end up holding the bag.—
Yaël Ossowski,
Boston Herald,
30 May 2026
-
But as funding from cap-and-invest and the climate bond dwindle, the state must increasingly turn to Cal Fire, which devotes only a small portion of its budget to mitigation work.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sawed-off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sawed-off. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
