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.
"To meet the challenges that our country faces incremental change won't cut it," he will add.
From BBC • May 10, 2026
Fans and air conditioners won’t cut it anymore.
From Barron's • May 6, 2026
But downers don’t cut it when you’re making today’s attention span-driven family fare.
From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026
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
“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.
