as in defeat
failure to win a contest
our football team suffered a pretty severe trimming
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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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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
Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 30 Dec. 2025
As the debate heats up online, here's a look at when people pack up the tree and trimmings.
—Melina Khan, USA Today, 30 Dec. 2025
Yun Li, CNBC, 31 Dec. 2025
The utility plans to better align tree-trimming efforts with areas identified as highest risk.
—Chaya Tong, Austin American Statesman, 31 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for trimming
Noun
Those crispy, salty fat trimmings are incredible in cornbread.
—Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 30 Dec. 2025
As the debate heats up online, here's a look at when people pack up the tree and trimmings.
—Melina Khan, USA Today, 30 Dec. 2025
Verb
Berkshire has been aggressively trimming its two largest equity holdings — Apple and Bank of America — paring positions that for years defined the portfolio.
—Yun Li, CNBC, 31 Dec. 2025
The utility plans to better align tree-trimming efforts with areas identified as highest risk.
—Chaya Tong, Austin American Statesman, 31 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for trimming
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trimming
Noun
-
Quick was hardly to blame for New York's eighth defeat in nine games, with mistakes by teammates in front of him putting the veteran goaltender in all sorts of difficult positions.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
15 Jan. 2026
-
The debate follows the November defeat of Proposition Q, a ballot measure that would have increased Austin’s property tax rate by 20% to fund public safety and infrastructure projects.—
Chaya Tong,
Austin American Statesman,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Ensure you don't get swallowed up by an oversized shirt by mastering the right proportions.—
Sri Rain Stewart,
InStyle,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Advocacy isn’t about mastering policy jargon or tracking every bill.—
Mary D. Kane,
Baltimore Sun,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The cold weather shouldn’t be a huge factor unless the wind starts whipping.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Jan. 2026
-
The wind was whipping throughout Kyle Field in College Station, Texas, that day, which had a massive impact on the kicking game.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
29 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
They are created by taking a lamb or sheep pelt and tanning its hide—that would be the sheepskin part of the equation—while also shaving down its wool, aka, the shearling, to a uniform length.—
Eric Twardzik,
Robb Report,
12 Jan. 2026
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Millions of Americans are shaving down their grocery budgets and putting off buying a home as wages fail to meet rising costs of living.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
However, decorating is a marathon—not a sprint.—
Shagun Khare,
The Spruce,
9 Jan. 2026
-
My husband devotes many hours to baking all the desserts, shopping for food and drinks, and lavishly decorating the house.—
Carolyn Hax,
Washington Post,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
They’re designed with roomy interiors and tons of compartments that make organizing your packing essentials extremely easy.—
Jasmine Gomez,
Travel + Leisure,
16 Jan. 2026
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Matembe says that opposition groups had been blocked from campaigning and organizing freely and that voters had even been barred from staying behind to monitor the count after casting their ballots.—
Emmanuel Akinwotu,
NPR,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
School desegregation, voting rights and public-accommodation battles – especially across the South – had led to shootings and beatings of African Americans by white counterprotesters and police.—
Josh Meyer,
USA Today,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Non-league Macclesfield Town produced one of the FA Cup’s most startling soccer upsets on Saturday beating titleholders Crystal Palace 2–1 in a third‑round thriller.—
Reuters 17 hr ago,
CNN Money,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Matt Bryant kicks a 49-yard field goal with 8 seconds left and the Atlanta Falcons bounce back after blowing a 20-point lead in the fourth quarter, defeating Seattle 30-28 in an NFC divisional playoff game.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Jan. 2026
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Fortunately, Pep Guardiola’s side had a similarly testing tie, defeating League One Exeter City 10-1.—
Chris Waugh,
New York Times,
12 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Trimming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trimming. Accessed 17 Jan. 2026.
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