cord cutter

American

[kawrd kuht-er] / ˈkɔrd ˌkʌt ər /

noun

Informal.

a person who has switched from cable, satellite, or landline to a wireless or internet connection to access television or phone service.

Cord cutters are using more mobile apps to view college football than ever before.

Other Word Forms

cord cutting noun

Etymology

Origin of cord cutter

First recorded in 2010–15

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

And he’d heard all the excuses for his cable bills continuing to rise: from exorbitant broadcast rights charged to sports networks by teams, to cable companies covering their financial losses from “cord cutter” viewers switching to online streaming services.

From Seattle Times

That seemingly would help Kraken ratings in this popular “cord cutter” market, but the opposite is true.

From Seattle Times

These are exciting times to be a cord cutter.

From Los Angeles Times

I’m wondering because I’ve been noticing increasing prices on streaming services to the point where you really can’t say you’re saving a ton each month being a cord cutter.

From Seattle Times

I’m the opposite of a cord cutter.

From New York Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023