Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

trimmer

1 American  
[trim-er] / ˈtrɪm ər /

noun

  1. a person or thing that trims.

  2. a tool or machine for trimming, clipping, paring, or pruning.

  3. a machine for trimming lumber.

  4. Building Trades.

    1. a joist or rafter supporting one of the ends of a header at the edge of a wellhole.

    2. a wall tile or floor tile for finishing an edge or angle.

  5. an apparatus for stowing, arranging, or shifting cargo, coal, or the like.

  6. a person who has no firm position, opinion, or policy, especially in politics.

  7. a person who is committed to no particular political party, adapting to one side or another as expediency may dictate.

trimmer 2 American  
[trim-er] / ˈtrɪm ər /

adjective

  1. comparative of trim.

trimmer British  
/ ˈtrɪmə /

noun

  1. Also called: trimmer joist.  a beam in a floor or roof structure attached to truncated joists in order to leave an opening for a staircase, chimney, etc

  2. a machine for trimming timber

  3. Also called: trimming capacitor.  electronics a variable capacitor of small capacitance used for making fine adjustments, etc

  4. a person who alters his or her opinions on the grounds of expediency

  5. a person who fits out motor vehicles

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of trimmer

First recorded in 1510–20; trim + -er 1

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.

“I was literally driving around L.A. with stacks of checks,” said Wade Trimmer, the president of the Change Reaction, a Sherman Oaks-based charity that distributed about $5 million in direct assistance.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 9, 2025

Trimmer acknowledged possible frustration as the community and officials scramble to meet urgent needs, saying that major tragedies take a significant toll.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 17, 2023

Mr Trimmer said that, following Mrs Stewart's death, Stewart's behaviour was "hard to square with the conduct of a grieving husband".

From BBC • Jan. 18, 2022

“If you use them for the wrong purpose, they won’t be a good fit,” Trimmer says.

From Nature • Sep. 6, 2020

But Trimmer, in the kitchen, or handing round sandwiches, could not listen, and yet she lingered as long as anybody.

From Our House And London out of Our Windows by Pennell, Elizabeth Robins

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

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.