cut back

Idioms  

1. Shorten by cutting, prune, as in It's time we cut back these bushes . [1860s]

2. 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

Without those sales boosters, GM needed to cut back capacity, Jacobson said.

From The Wall Street Journal

There is little that consumers can do to cut back on their gasoline spending in a meaningful way.

From The Wall Street Journal

Measures under consideration include ordering government workers to work from home one day per week, cutting back on official travel and encouraging bicycle, electronic car and public transport use to preserve valuable fuel.

From Barron's

If consumers have to spend more for gasoline, they will cut back on discretionary spending.

From MarketWatch

"Do we cut back on fertiliser and cut back on yield potential?" he asked.

From BBC

Related Words

• curb
• curtail
• cut down
• decrease
• lessen
• lower
• pare
• prune
• reduce
• retrench
• shorten
• slash
• trim