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.
Others, such as Chevrolet’s Equinox and Blazer and Ford’s Mustang Mach-E, are still around but the automakers have cut back their production significantly.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 13, 2026
Six are run by first-time female showrunners, a notable number at a time when the industry has cut back and women have historically had fewer chances to lead series.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026
The sandwich shop had struggled to maintain supply of the cola for the last eight years as the distributor cut back production due to the rising cost of aluminium.
From BBC ● Sep. 6, 2026
In response, some schools have cut back on programs aimed at helping minority students, even relatively benign initiatives like special orientation events, and Black and Latino enrollment at top universities has fallen.
From Slate ● Sep. 3, 2026
Then the camera cut back to the docent, who explained that art appreciation was a form of therapy that would hopefully help get these men back on their feet.
From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris
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.
