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• trim
  trim

  verb (used with object)

  to put into a neat or orderly condition by clipping, paring, pruning, etc..
• Trim
  Trim

  noun

  the county town of Meath, Republic of Ireland; 12th-century castle, medieval cathedral; textiles and machinery. Pop: 5894 (2002)

trim

American  

[trim] / trɪm /

verb (used with object)

• trims,
  present (3rd person singular)
• trimmed,
  past participle,  past
• trimming
  present participle

1. to put into a neat or orderly condition by clipping, paring, pruning, etc..

   to trim a hedge.

   Synonyms:

   lop, cut, shave, shear

2. to remove (something superfluous or dispensable) by or as if by cutting (often followed byoff ).

   to trim off loose threads from a ragged edge.

3. to cut down, as to required size or shape.

   trim a budget; trim a piece of wood.

4. Aeronautics. to level off (an airship or airplane) in flight.

5. Nautical.

   1. to distribute the load of (a ship) so that it sits well in the water.

   2. to stow or arrange, as cargo.

   3. to adjust (the sails or yards) with reference to the direction of the wind and the course of the ship.

6. to decorate or adorn with ornaments or embellishments.

   to trim a dress with fur.

   Synonyms:

   garnish, embellish, ornament, bedeck, deck

7. to arrange goods in (a store window, showcase, etc.) as a display.

8. to prepare or adjust (a lamp, fire, etc.) for proper burning.

9. Informal.

   1. to rebuke or reprove.

   2. to beat or thrash.

   3. to defeat.

10. to dress or array (often followed byup ).

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verb (used without object)

• trims,
  present (3rd person singular)
• trimmed,
  past participle,  past
• trimming
  present participle

1. Nautical.

   1. to assume a particular position or trim in the water, as a vessel.

   2. to adjust the sails or yards with reference to the direction of the wind and the course of the ship.

2. to pursue a neutral or cautious policy between parties.

3. to accommodate one's views to the prevailing opinion for reasons of expediency.

noun

• trims
  plural

1. the condition, order, or fitness of a person or thing for action, work, use, etc.

2. Nautical.

   1. the set of a ship in the water, especially the most advantageous one.

   2. the condition of a ship with reference to its fitness for sailing.

   3. the adjustment of sails, rigging, etc., with reference to wind direction and the course of the ship.

   4. the condition of a submarine as regards buoyancy.

3. a person's dress, adornment, or appearance.

4. material used for decoration or embellishment; decorative trimming.

   Synonyms:

   garnish, adornment

5. decoration of a store window for the display of merchandise; window dressing.

6. a trimming by cutting, clipping, or the like.

7. a haircut that restores the previous cut to neatness without changing the hairstyle.

8. something that is cut off or eliminated.

9. Aeronautics. the attitude of an airplane with respect to all three axes, at which balance occurs in forward flight under no controls.

10. Building Trades. finished woodwork or the like used to decorate or border openings or wall surfaces, as cornices, baseboards, or moldings.

11. Automotive.

    1. the upholstery, knobs, handles, and other equipment inside a motor car.

    2. ornamentation on the exterior of an automobile, especially in metal or a contrasting color.

adjective

• trimmer,
  comparative
• trimmest
  superlative

1. pleasingly neat or smart in appearance.

   trim lawns.

   Synonyms:

   spruce, trig, compact

2. in good condition or order.

3. (of a person) in excellent physical condition.

   Swimming is a good way to keep trim.

4. slim; lean.

5. Obsolete. good, excellent, or fine.

adverb

1. trimly.

idioms

1. trim one's sails. sail.

trim ¹ British  

/ trɪm /

adjective

1. neat and spruce in appearance

2. slim; slender

3. in good condition

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verb

1. to put in good order, esp by cutting or pruning

2. to shape and finish (timber)

3. to adorn or decorate

4. to cut so as to remove

   to trim off a branch

5. to cut down to the desired size or shape

   to trim material to a pattern

6. dialect to decorate

   to trim a Christmas tree

7. nautical

   1. (also intr) to adjust the balance of (a vessel) or (of a vessel) to maintain an even balance, by distribution of ballast, cargo, etc

   2. (also intr) to adjust (a vessel's sails) to take advantage of the wind

   3. to stow (cargo)

8. to balance (an aircraft) before flight by adjusting the position of the load or in flight by the use of trim tabs, fuel transfer, etc

9. (also intr) to modify (one's opinions, etc) to suit opposing factions or for expediency

10. informal to thrash or beat

11. informal to rebuke

12. obsolete to furnish or equip

noun

1. a decoration or adornment

2. the upholstery and decorative facings, as on the door panels, of a car's interior

3. proper order or fitness; good shape

   in trim

4. a haircut that neatens but does not alter the existing hairstyle

5. nautical

   1. the general set and appearance of a vessel

   2. the difference between the draught of a vessel at the bow and at the stern

   3. the fitness of a vessel

   4. the position of a vessel's sails relative to the wind

   5. the relative buoyancy of a submarine

6. dress or equipment

7. window-dressing

8. the attitude of an aircraft in flight when the pilot allows the main control surfaces to take up their own positions

9. films a section of shot cut out during editing

10. material that is trimmed off

11. decorative mouldings, such as architraves, picture rails, etc

Trim ² British  

/ trɪm /

noun

1. the county town of Meath, Republic of Ireland; 12th-century castle, medieval cathedral; textiles and machinery. Pop: 5894 (2002)

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• trimness
  noun
• overtrim
  verb
• pretrim
  verb
• trimly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• trims
  plural

Adjectives

• trimmer
  comparative
• trimmest
  superlative

Participles

• trimming
  present
• trimmed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• trim
  simple
• trims
  simple
• have trimmed
  perfect
• has trimmed
  perfect
• am trimming
  progressive
• are trimming
  progressive
• is trimming
  progressive
• have been trimming
  perfect progressive
• has been trimming
  perfect progressive

Past

• trimmed
  simple
• had trimmed
  perfect
• was trimming
  progressive
• were trimming
  progressive
• had been trimming
  perfect progressive

Future

• will trim
  simple
• will have trimmed
  perfect
• will be trimming
  progressive
• will have been trimming
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of trim

First recorded before 900; probably continuing Old English trymman, trymian “to strengthen, prepare” (not recorded in ME), derivative of trum “strong, active”; akin to Irish dron “strong,” Greek drȳmós “coppice,” Latin dūrus “hard”; see tree

Explanation

When you cut something, literally or figuratively, you trim it. If you have steady hands, you can trim your own bangs. If you don't have steady hands, you can save up for a professional haircut by trimming the amount of money you spend on comics and snacks. A landscaper trims the grass and shrubs, and a cook trims fat off of meat before cooking it. But when you trim the Christmas tree, you decorate it, and when a sailor trims the sails, she adjusts them so they'll catch the wind just right. And as a noun, a trim is "an act of cutting," while trim is "decoration." All forms of this word are rooted in nautical language.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

trim Trim trims trimmer trimmest trimmed trimming

A mum says there is "no more fat left to trim" off her household bills despite making changes at home to use less water.

From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026

Uber’s efforts to trim and streamline its workforce will lead to faster decision-making and clearer ownership, the company said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026

As employees became more productive with AI tools, the thinking went, enterprises would trim their staffs and purchase fewer software subscriptions, also known as “seats.”

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 30, 2026

The dollar fell to a 10-week low against a basket of currencies after U.S. data—including weak jobs and retail sales figures—prompted markets to further trim bets on U.S. rate rises.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026

He’d just had a haircut and a beard trim, and he was neatly dressed, wearing a tan suit that he’d had custom-made in Belgrade.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

In 2019 DTE launched what it dubbed the “Tree Trim Surge,” and over the next five years it spent over $1 billion on the effort.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 12, 2026

Trim positions if you have to, but hold on to the shares of this AI winner.

From Barron's ● Nov. 24, 2025

Trim lower tree branches and keep woodpiles away from vegetation.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 12, 2025

Trim, with Zero Waste Washington, said these measures could help "institutionalize" some of the reuse infrastructure that's being laid out by the private sector.

From Salon ● Jun. 25, 2023

My uncle Toby, as I said, loved the man;——and besides, as he ever looked upon a faithful servant,—but as an humble friend,—he could not bear to stop his mouth.——Such was Corporal Trim.

From The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman by Laurence Sterne

The brokerage maintains the stock’s buy rating but trims its target price to 13.00 baht from 14.00 baht to reflect valuation roll-over.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026

Citi trims the target price for its ADRs to $189.00 from $190.00.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

Macquarie trims its target price on the stock 2.7% to 7.10 Australian dollars.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

Ford plans to offer V-8s on more trims in its F-150 trucks next year.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026

She picks up the fallen blossom and trims the stem, wincing.

From "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez

Men with enormous beards that have never known the touch of a trimmer.

From Salon ● Aug. 7, 2024

I had seen him earlier walking around the backyard wielding a weed wacker, which turned out to need a new spool of trimmer string.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 20, 2024

In my own yard, I have used a battery-driven lawnmower, blower and string trimmer for nearly five years.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 18, 2023

Like Tom, Adam, who has also dealt with depression and anxiety, has his own experience of unwillingly shaving his beard after a trimmer malfunction left him with no other option.

From BBC ● Jan. 10, 2023

Her figure faults were gone, the too bony elbow having fleshed out nicely; the opposite pudgy wrist could not have been trimmer.

From "The Princess Bride" by William Goldman

This design gives the A8F a stunning presentation of just a giant display with the trimmest of bezels surrounding it.

From The Verge ● Nov. 2, 2018

The company has an annual voluntary 12-week challenge in the fall to encourage employees to be active and not pack on the holiday pounds, with prizes for those who stay trimmest.

From Forbes ● Feb. 25, 2011

He found the ideal right-hand man in Stanton, who has streamlined CBS into the trimmest organization in broadcasting.

From Time Magazine Archive

Young, rich Stephen Carlton Clark had married Susan Hun, descendant of brownest, trimmest Albany ancestors.

From Time Magazine Archive

She would get down to the office first of all; she would wear the trimmest suits; she would never be cross, never be tired, never rebel at the most flagrant imposition!

From Martie, the Unconquered by Kathleen Thompson Norris

“So we trimmed to 5.7” million pounds, the broker says of its annual production forecasts for FY28-FY30.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026

Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinze Jr. have trimmed the asking price of their stunning California mansion by $700,000—just three months after listing the dwelling.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 2, 2026

Gross domestic product in Canada could get trimmed by 0.3 percentage points, Oxford said.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 25, 2026

Markets have recently trimmed expectations for Fed interest-rate rises following weak U.S. labor market data and subdued inflation prints.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026

He didn’t need it anymore, for Mama had made him a new suit of clothes—a calico shirt, skin leggings, a set of blue broadcloth britches trimmed with red wool.

From "The Birchbark House" by Louise Erdrich

Carrying that much stock is expensive, so the company is trimming costs where it can.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 30, 2026

He immediately went to work clearing warehouses of unsold inventory and trimming down Apple’s list of suppliers.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 29, 2026

He said the hospital is “trying to turn it around from all the levers possible,” such as renegotiating contracts with insurers, trimming costs and advocating for more government funding.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

"Part of what we’re seeing today is probably traders trimming ahead of results rather than waiting to find out," she said.

From Barron's ● Jul. 28, 2026

Renn sat some way off, trimming the flights on her arrows, and Wolf lay between them licking his paws clean, having swiftly dispatched the joint of grouse that Torak had saved for him.

From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver

Related Words

• clip
• curtail
• cut
• cut back
• cut down
• mow
• pare
• prune
• shave
• shear
• shorten
• whittle down