pare

¹ American  

[pair] / pɛər /

verb (used with object)

pared, paring

1. to cut off the outer coating, layer, or part of.

2. to remove (an outer coating, layer, or part) by cutting (often followed by off oraway ).

3. to reduce or remove by or as by cutting; diminish or decrease gradually (often followed bydown ).

   to pare down one's expenses.

   Synonyms:

   lessen, shave, clip

   Antonyms:

   increase

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Paré ² American  

[pa-rey] / paˈreɪ /

noun

1. Ambroise 1510–90, French surgeon.

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pare ¹ British  

/ pɛə /

verb

1. to peel or cut (the outer layer) from (something)

2. to cut the edges from (the nails); trim

3. to decrease bit by bit

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Paré ² British  

/ pare /

noun

1. Ambroise (ɑ̃brwaz). 1510–90, French surgeon. He reintroduced ligature of arteries following amputation instead of cauterization

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Related Words

See peel ¹.

Other Word Forms

• pareable adjective
• parer noun
• unpared adjective

Etymology

Origin of pare

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English paren, from Middle French parer, “to make ready, trim” from Latin parāre ”to prepare, make ready“; prepare

Explanation

To pare is to trim — like when you pare branches on a tree or pare down your expenses to save money. Pare comes from the Latin word parare, meaning "to prepare." Think of peeling potatoes, which you might do with a paring knife, or paring your nails so you'll make a neat appearance. In each case, you are trimming something gradually. If you pare down your expectations, you might be pleasantly surprised.

Example Sentences

British oil majors Shell and BP gain 1.2% and 1.1%, respectively, while their peers like France’s TotalEnergies and Italy’s Eni pare back initial gains to rise 0.9% and 0.7%.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026

As major automakers pare back their EV offerings, Sony and Honda are scrapping their plans to launch a gadget-packed electric vehicle.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

President Trump’s announcement of “productive” talks with Iran helped gold prices pare losses and boosted mining stocks.

From Barron's • Mar. 23, 2026

British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Wizz Air are among carriers to pare back their schedules to destinations in the Middle East, citing safety concerns.

From BBC • Feb. 28, 2026

So when school administrators pare down curriculums and teachers teach to the test, it is usually not out of ignorance—but is a matter of professional and financial survival.

From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove

Related Words

• cut back
• cut down
• decrease
• lower
• mark down
• prune
• reduce
• scrape
• shave
• slash