as in shaving
to make (something) shorter or smaller with the use of a cutting instrument
snipped the loose ends
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of snipping
Cut individual stems as needed, snipping above a leaf node to encourage continued growth.
—
Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 18 Jan. 2026
Prune it by snipping off the dead stems in spring.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Dec. 2025
The nightingale tossed the worm in the air, snipping it in two with her beak and crushing its gummy, writhing halves against a flat rock.
—Hazlitt, 19 Nov. 2025
In the video, Sweeney goes from dirty blonde, with Oropeza methodically snipping the ends of her chin-length hair, to an icy, bright blonde.
—Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 27 Oct. 2025
White House aides are snipping at Republican colleagues on the Hill that this is on them to sort out.
—Phil Elliott, Time, 8 Oct. 2025
An artist and aspiring beautician From the age of three, Traelynn was painting and snipping her own hair, sparking her love for cosmotology, her mother said.
—Kansas City Star, 14 Aug. 2025
Ruiz Avalos, 28, started snipping away but kept a close eye on her customer.
—Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 2 Aug. 2025
Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 18 Jan. 2026
Prune it by snipping off the dead stems in spring.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Dec. 2025
The nightingale tossed the worm in the air, snipping it in two with her beak and crushing its gummy, writhing halves against a flat rock.
—Hazlitt, 19 Nov. 2025
In the video, Sweeney goes from dirty blonde, with Oropeza methodically snipping the ends of her chin-length hair, to an icy, bright blonde.
—Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 27 Oct. 2025
White House aides are snipping at Republican colleagues on the Hill that this is on them to sort out.
—Phil Elliott, Time, 8 Oct. 2025
An artist and aspiring beautician From the age of three, Traelynn was painting and snipping her own hair, sparking her love for cosmotology, her mother said.
—Kansas City Star, 14 Aug. 2025
Ruiz Avalos, 28, started snipping away but kept a close eye on her customer.
—Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 2 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for snipping
Verb
-
After years of trying out different hairstyles, Suggs finally went all in on shaving it all off.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Soon, Melling’s Colin is obeying his lover’s every order, including by shaving himself bald and sleeping like a dog on the floor.—
The Week US,
TheWeek,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
That deal, which required Iran to limit its nuclear program by, among other things, cutting enrichment levels and reducing centrifuges, took effect in 2016 and was due to expire 10 years after it was adopted.—
Michael Collins,
USA Today,
28 Feb. 2026
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Start by cutting the lawn very low and raking the planting area to remove the clippings, dead grass, and other debris.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
28 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
But these rotations can be brutal, and trimming positions gives us the flexibility and the cash to step back in and repurchase shares at more attractive levels in the future.—
Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
26 Feb. 2026
-
The change will be implemented gradually, trimming two hours per year beginning in 2027 and reaching a 40-hour work week in 2030.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
As tariffs provoke backlash and global trade uncertainty, markets for Texas exports have been curtailed, clipping the wings of our economy.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Mulching grass clipping and leaves through your mower will return organic matter to your lawn.—
Chris McKeown,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Snipping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/snipping. Accessed 6 Mar. 2026.
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