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Synonyms

trimmer

1 American  
[trim-er] / ˈtrɪm ər /

noun

  1. a person or thing that trims.

  2. a tool or machine for trimming, clipping, paring, or pruning.

  3. a machine for trimming lumber.

  4. Building Trades.

    1. a joist or rafter supporting one of the ends of a header at the edge of a wellhole.

    2. a wall tile or floor tile for finishing an edge or angle.

  5. an apparatus for stowing, arranging, or shifting cargo, coal, or the like.

  6. a person who has no firm position, opinion, or policy, especially in politics.

  7. a person who is committed to no particular political party, adapting to one side or another as expediency may dictate.

trimmer 2 American  
[trim-er] / ˈtrɪm ər /

adjective

  1. comparative of trim.

trimmer British  
/ ˈtrɪmə /

noun

  1. Also called: trimmer joist.  a beam in a floor or roof structure attached to truncated joists in order to leave an opening for a staircase, chimney, etc

  2. a machine for trimming timber

  3. Also called: trimming capacitor.  electronics a variable capacitor of small capacitance used for making fine adjustments, etc

  4. a person who alters his or her opinions on the grounds of expediency

  5. a person who fits out motor vehicles

"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

Etymology

Origin of trimmer

First recorded in 1510–20; trim + -er 1

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.

When she refuses, Spears grabs the trimmer and clicks it on: “The extensions are hacked into lifeless scraps … the stray hairs curl on the floor like writhing snakes.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2025

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

From Salon • Aug. 7, 2024

Flag football’s five-a-side line-ups mean trimmer rosters compared to the swamped sidelines of tackle football, making for a more compelling case given the IOC's intention to streamline athlete numbers.

From BBC • May 6, 2024

“Due to the large amount of overtime, a journeyman line clearance tree trimmer can make $70,000 to $120,000 per year, give or take,” Shaw said.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 6, 2023

Then she turned the electric hedge trimmer off and said, “I’m afraid you’re going to have to say that again. I’m a little deaf.”

From "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" by Mark Haddon

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.