cut it
Idioms-
Also, cut that . Stop, as in I won't stand for that—cut it! or If you don't cut that, I'll tell . [ Slang ; first half of 1800s] Also see cut it out .
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Manage, tolerate, as in I don't know how he can cut it . [ Slang ; c. 1900]
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Be effective, prove satisfactory, as in She's getting old and can no longer cut it . [Late 1900s] For a synonym see cut the mustard . Also see the subsequent entries beginning with cut it .
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.
If she plans to attend a formal event, she needs to pack extra clothes, and a carry-on won’t cut it.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 10, 2026
Iran also is subject to U.S. and European sanctions that have all but cut it off from mainstream financial networks.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026
Missing the best 10 days of that stretch would reduce your return by a quarter; missing the best 20 days could cut it roughly in half.
From Barron's • Mar. 11, 2026
They cut it to one with 2:05 left before the Nuggets held on for the victory.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 7, 2026
“Tomorrow he’ll cut it down and dispose of it. I think he’s out celebrating tonight.”
From "The Line Tender" by Kate Allen
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.
