as in defeat
failure to win a contest
our football team suffered a pretty severe trimming
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in mastering
to achieve a victory over
a speed skater who consistently trimmed all his competition
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in whipping
to defeat by a large margin
they trimmed our team by 40 points
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in shaving
to make (something) shorter or smaller with the use of a cutting instrument
trimmed her bangs
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in decorating
to make more attractive by adding something that is beautiful or becoming
trim a tree for Christmas
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5
as in organizing
to make neat
trimmed the shrubbery in order to enhance the house's curb appeal
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of trimming
Becky Wern, Florida Times-Union, 7 Mar. 2026
Do the trimming as soon as possible.
—Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Mar. 2026
Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Mar. 2026
Creating a sturdy structure, and trimming excess branches, allows this tree to thrive.
—Steve Bender, Southern Living, 8 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for trimming
Noun
Gardeners can address freeze damage by removing mushy or dead leaves but should wait for new growth before major trimming.
—Becky Wern, Florida Times-Union, 7 Mar. 2026
Do the trimming as soon as possible.
—Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Mar. 2026
Verb
Cutting back trees, trimming hedges, mowing your lawn, and rinsing off your outdoor patio can all help keep allergens from building up (or blooming) in your yard.
—Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Mar. 2026
Creating a sturdy structure, and trimming excess branches, allows this tree to thrive.
—Steve Bender, Southern Living, 8 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for trimming
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trimming
Noun
-
Tuesday’s 83-79 overtime loss to Washington in the Big Ten tournament, the Trojans’ eighth straight defeat, brought to a close what USC coach Eric Musselman called the toughest stretch of his coaching career.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Porro and Van de Ven appeared to clash with the away fans following January’s defeat by Bournemouth.—
Jay Harris,
New York Times,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Hepburn was known for her distinct voice and cadence, which is something Collins will have to focus on mastering.—
Sarah Sotoodeh , Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
8 Mar. 2026
-
They are credited with mastering the art of wood-grilling.—
Gail Ciampa,
The Providence Journal,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Taylor also weighed in on keeping her cool on stage when things go wrong, such as embracing her wig flying off and whipping it around her head, the proper form for double-dutching and having patience in Hollywood.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
26 Feb. 2026
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Though both storms are similar — with a major storm system lingering over the region for over a day and whipping the region with merciless hurricane-level winds, driving inch after inch of wet snow — what made the 1978 storm so devastating was the apparent suddenness of its arrival.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Jalen Smith, one of the men alleged to have helped perpetrate a sprawling college basketball point-shaving scheme, pleaded guilty Monday in federal court to charges stemming from a Department of Justice indictment that unspooled the gambling ring.—
Mike Vorkunov,
New York Times,
9 Mar. 2026
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In 2025, companies were talking about using artificial intelligence to trim expenses, like shaving a few points off operating costs with copilots and automation tools.—
Deirdre Bosa,
CNBC,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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What this week provided was a savvy path to fortify one last Super Bowl push for those high-cost veterans decorating the offense.—
Cam Inman,
Mercury News,
14 Mar. 2026
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But don’t install dramatic tile in the bathroom or statement-making wallpaper in the dining room solely in hopes of wooing a buyer, as decorating taste is incredibly subjective, notes Nolen.—
Betsy Cribb Watson,
Southern Living,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Some have begun organizing a protest in downtown Newton this weekend.—
Amber Gaudet,
Charlotte Observer,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Continuum Suite is not that, but instead a system for organizing and coordinating many aspects of a production.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Jake Webster hit a buzzer-beating layup at the end of the stanza, as the Shamrocks took a 52-46 advantage into the final frame.—
Brendan Connelly,
Boston Herald,
16 Mar. 2026
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Jurors convicted a man of child abuse and torture in the October 2022 beating of his girlfriend’s 2-year-old daughter, the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office said.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Fairfield University women’s basketball team will head back to the NCAA Tournament for the third straight year, after defeating Quinnipiac 51-44 Monday night in the MAAC championship game and getting the conference’s automatic berth in Atlantic City.—
Lori Riley,
Hartford Courant,
10 Mar. 2026
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The Bobcats showed flickers of promise, nearly defeating Troy and Georgia Southern in the regular season.—
Caleb Yum,
Austin American Statesman,
9 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Trimming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trimming. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
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