1
as in to shave
to make (something) shorter or smaller with the use of a cutting instrument
we need to cut back the bushes a bit so that the house number is visible from the street
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to shorten
to make less in extent or duration
cut back the meeting so everyone could leave early for the long weekend
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in curtailed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in curtailment
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 cut back
Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 13 Mar. 2025
Businesses typically cut back on spending and investment, scale down hiring and lay off workers, setting off a ripple effect that impacts jobs, wages, consumer spending and access to credit.
—Mike Winters, CNBC, 12 Mar. 2025
David Lightman, Sacbee.com, 1 Apr. 2025
Without fresh faces, cutbacks in staff and programming could become inevitable.
—Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cut back
Verb
Simply cut back spent flowers and to the base.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 13 Mar. 2025
Businesses typically cut back on spending and investment, scale down hiring and lay off workers, setting off a ripple effect that impacts jobs, wages, consumer spending and access to credit.
—Mike Winters, CNBC, 12 Mar. 2025
Noun
Some experts have floated the idea that because of staff cutbacks, taxpayers who report income incorrectly, or not at all, won’t be caught as quickly, if at all.
—David Lightman, Sacbee.com, 1 Apr. 2025
Without fresh faces, cutbacks in staff and programming could become inevitable.
—Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cut back
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cut back
Verb
-
Elon Musk, meanwhile, lost $11 billion on Thursday, adding to the $99 billion the Tesla CEO has lost this year, and saw 5.5 percent shaved off Tesla’s shares.—
Nicole Hoey,
Robb Report,
4 Apr. 2025
-
For comparison, the release estimates that the 2018-19 Trump trade war with China shaved 0.2% off GDP and killed 142,000 jobs.—
Katharina Buchholz,
Forbes.com,
4 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Ward shortened his drop and threw a strike in the small sliver of space just before the hash mark.—
Ted Nguyen,
New York Times,
28 Mar. 2025
-
On March 7, a UK judge shortened the sentence of the group’s founder, Roger Hallam, for disrupting a traffic event after an appeal.—
Angelica Villa,
ARTnews.com,
28 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
According to the National Grid ESO, curtailment of wind power alone cost British consumers over £800 million in 2023, as renewable generators were paid to shut down during periods of oversupply, with the tab being picked up by households.—
Susie Violet Ward,
Forbes.com,
31 Mar. 2025
-
That’s why even just the Trump administration’s first strike against its targets—a mass curtailment of science-research funding—could end up being felt by students right away.—
Ian Bogost,
The Atlantic,
30 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
The country’s Ministry of Trade and Industry cut its gross domestic product forecast to 0%-2% for 2025, down from its previous outlook of 1%-3%.—
Yeo Boon Ping,
CNBC,
14 Apr. 2025
-
Place bottoms, cut sides up, in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.—
Jasmine Smith,
Southern Living,
14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
In abbreviated Battles, Jacquelyn George defeated Jordan Allen to remain on Team Legend, and Dan Kieran and Page Mackenzie bested Jessica Manalo and Robert Hunter, respectively, to keep going with Team Kelsea.—
Charlie Mason,
TVLine,
24 Mar. 2025
-
An abbreviated Season 7 will cap The Conners’ run at 112 episodes.—
Ryan Schwartz,
TVLine,
27 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
Recognize The Risks Of A Trade War To Everyone The last major trade war of the 1930s was accompanied by a 60% reduction in global trade.—
Steve Denning,
Forbes.com,
7 Apr. 2025
-
There is a fear that this settlement will ultimately lead to a dramatic reduction in spots available, although no one knows for sure.—
Mac Engel,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Two American Airlines planes clipped wings at Reagan National Airport, the FAA said.—
7News WJLA (Washington),
Baltimore Sun,
10 Apr. 2025
-
Washington — Several members of Congress were on a plane that was sitting on the tarmac waiting to leave Washington on Thursday when it was clipped by another aircraft.—
Kathryn Krupnik,
CBS News,
10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
That's the abridged version of the tricky nature of prosecuting a murder case without a body.—
Fox News,
Fox News,
17 Jan. 2023
-
On Friday, Burrows, R-Lubbock, made public his request to Uvalde District Attorney Christina Mitchell Busbee for an abridged video from a school hallway camera to be released.—
Dallas News,
Dallas News,
11 July 2022
Cite this Entry
“Cut back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cut%20back. Accessed 20 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share