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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of trimming
Anne Gelhaus, Mercury News, 4 Jan. 2026
Most crape myrtles need very little trimming.
—Brian Bell, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Jan. 2026
Ken Bowles, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026
The Bulls closed the first half with a 7-0 spurt, trimming the Lakers’ lead to 69-56.
—Oc Register, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for trimming
Noun
They can be placed in yard trimmings carts if the lid closes.
—Anne Gelhaus, Mercury News, 4 Jan. 2026
Most crape myrtles need very little trimming.
—Brian Bell, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Jan. 2026
Verb
Multiplying these gains across all pallets can significantly reduce the number of trailers needed each year, trimming operational costs and cutting carbon emissions in the process.
—Ken Bowles, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026
The Bulls closed the first half with a 7-0 spurt, trimming the Lakers’ lead to 69-56.
—Oc Register, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for trimming
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trimming
Noun
-
Stafford also engineered late game-winning drives in playoff victories over the Carolina Panthers and the Chicago Bears before the Rams suffered a 31-27 defeat by the Seahawks in the NFC championship.—
Gary Klein,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Seattle bounced back from a defeat against the Ducks at Honda Center 24 hours earlier that snapped a four-game win streak.—
Andrew Knoll,
Daily News,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Taking the exam in one’s native language permits the driver to be knowledgeable about the rules of the road while mastering English proficiency, as many immigrants do.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
4 Feb. 2026
-
The bulk of the film features Bella, finally in vampire form, mastering her gift of shielding.—
Lincee Ray,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
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House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said earlier Monday that his caucus would have a discussion on the contempt resolutions later in the week but remained noncommittal on whipping votes against them.—
Stephen Groves,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Feb. 2026
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The safer one involved whipping once around the moon’s far side and then relying on lunar gravity to slingshot the spacecraft back to Earth.—
Jeffrey Kluger,
Time,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
There wasn’t even a full question asked about the secret project using computer technology aimed at shaving fractions of a second off speedskating times to help the Americans bring home gold medals from the Milan Cortina Olympics.—
Howard Fendrich,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Feb. 2026
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Some of the same men involved in the NBA case were also indicted earlier this month in what federal prosecutors in Pennsylvania say was a college basketball point-shaving ring.—
Mike Vorkunov,
New York Times,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
If spring is on your mind, consider decorating your front porch with an artificial flower basket, like this one, that’s on sale for a limited time.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Flashy trends and experimental ideas can make a space feel fresh, but there’s a reason why tried-and-true decorating methods endure.—
Wendy Rose Gould,
Martha Stewart,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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And now the daughters and granddaughters of the Ladies Aid and League of Catholic Women’s groups are organizing food, shelter, and finances against stone-cold invaders.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Feb. 2026
-
The Union of Vietnamese Student Associations of Southern California has been organizing the Tết Festival for more than 40 years.—
Heather McRea,
Oc Register,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The Mountaineers allowed only three field goals in the third, one of them a buzzer-beating layup by Darianna Littlepage-Buggs that made it 47-37 heading to the fourth quarter.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
2 Feb. 2026
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Former detainees and human rights organizations have documented systematic torture and severe abuses inside the facility, including beatings, electric shocks, suspension by limbs, prolonged stress positions and other degrading treatment.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Dirksen was elected to the Senate in 1950, defeating Scott Lucas, the incumbent Democrat and Senate majority leader.—
John T. Shaw,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
-
McBeth had a successful week for Saratoga, defeating her 11th-grade opponent from MacDonald High 13-1 on Tuesday.—
Christian Babcock,
Mercury News,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Trimming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trimming. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.
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