cut back
Idioms-
Shorten by cutting, prune, as in It's time we cut back these bushes . [1860s]
-
Reduce, decrease, as in They are going to cut back defense spending , or We have to cut back production . [c. 1940] Also see cut to the bone .
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.
She and her husband have cut back on expenses to afford the combined $1,300 a month they pay for Medigap.
From Barron's • Jun. 4, 2026
The surge in pink slips started in 2023, when companies that had gone on hiring sprees during the COVID-19 pandemic began to cut back.
From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2026
Smash cut back to reality: The dance floor is almost entirely empty.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026
The U.S. would also significantly cut back the number of armed drones.
From Slate • May 27, 2026
But just before they cut back to the main newscaster, I see the unmistakable flash of that same mockingjay’s wing.
From "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins
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.
