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Synonyms

scale back

British  

verb

  1. (adverb) to reduce or make a reduction in the level of activity, extent, numbers, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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.

She also called for the city to scale back its use of “private surveillance” technology, such as Flock license plate readers.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

The prospect of a brief cease-fire comes as Russia is planning to scale back an annual May 9 Victory Day parade—and withhold the traditional display of military hardware.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 29, 2026

Shaw have repeatedly urged the company to scale back its multibillion-dollar investment in Homes.com or divest entirely.

From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026

At what point should I scale back on experiences like this to stay on track financially?

From MarketWatch • Mar. 27, 2026

Several months after Barack’s announcement in Springfield and with the support of my colleagues, I’d decided to scale back to part-time hours, knowing it was the only sustainable way to keep going.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

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.