cutting

American  

[kuht-ing] / ˈkʌt ɪŋ /

noun

1. the act of a person or thing that cuts.

2. something cut, cut off, or cut out.

3. Horticulture. a piece, as a root, stem, or leaf, cut from a plant and used for propagation.

4. something made by cutting, as a recording.

5. a form of repetitive self-injury in which a person deliberately cuts the skin, as to cope with stress or negative emotions.

6. Manège.

   1. the removal of a specific animal from a herd of cattle, as performed by a ranch horse.

   2. a competitive exhibition in which horses demonstrate this skill.

7. Chiefly British. a clipping from a newspaper, magazine, etc.

8. British. a trenchlike excavation, especially through a hill, as one made in constructing a highway.

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adjective

1. able to cut or slice.

   a cutting blade.

2. piercing, as a wind.

3. wounding the feelings severely; sarcastic.

   Synonyms:

   sardonic, acid, mordant, biting, caustic

4. Manège. relating to or noting a horse bred or trained for the ranching task of separating a specific animal from a herd of cattle, or the competitive exhibition of this skill: The last day of the rodeo was dedicated to the cutting competition and barrel racing finals.

   Champion cutting horses are bred for agility.

   The last day of the rodeo was dedicated to the cutting competition and barrel racing finals.

cutting British  

/ ˈkʌtɪŋ /

noun

1. a piece cut off from the main part of something

2. horticulture

   1. a method of vegetative propagation in which a part of a plant, such as a stem or leaf, is induced to form its own roots

   2. a part separated for this purpose

3. Also called (esp US and Canadian): clipping.  an article, photograph, etc, cut from a newspaper or other publication

4. the editing process by which a film is cut and made

5. an excavation in a piece of high land for a road, railway, etc, enabling it to remain at approximately the same level

6. informal sharp-wittedness

   there is no cutting in him

7. (modifier) designed for or adapted to cutting; edged; sharp

   a cutting tool

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adjective

1. keen; piercing

   a cutting wind

2. tending to hurt the feelings

   a cutting remark

Other Word Forms

• cuttingly
  adverb
• cuttingness
  noun
• noncutting
  adjective
• self-cutting
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of cutting

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English; see origin at cut, -ing ¹, -ing ²

Example Sentences

Another issue: Elliott cautioned that this wave of big IPOs is expected just as some major companies have been cutting back on their share repurchases.

From MarketWatch • May 24, 2026

He’s also endorsed drinking raw milk, cutting added sugar and consuming more creatine, which is a natural compound that our muscles use as a source of energy.

From Salon • May 23, 2026

For many Americans, cutting back has already become the new reality after gas prices topped $4.50 a gallon for the first time in nearly four years.

From Los Angeles Times • May 23, 2026

They then used tissue-clearing methods to make the mice transparent while preserving the fluorescent signals, allowing scientists to see deep inside the body without cutting tissues apart.

From Science Daily • May 23, 2026

A gust of warm air blew across the ship’s deck, cutting through the falling snow.

From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland

Related Words

• acerbic
• barbed
• biting
• caustic
• piercing
• pointed
• sarcastic
• sardonic
• scathing
• stinging
• trenchant