cut back
Idioms-
Shorten by cutting, prune, as in It's time we cut back these bushes . [1860s]
-
Reduce, decrease, as in They are going to cut back defense spending , or We have to cut back production . [c. 1940] Also see cut to the bone .
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.
The closures reflect a tough environment for theaters, which have struggled to fill seats especially as studios have cut back the number of movies they release.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026
“I’ll cut back on restaurant meals before I stop buying things for my cat,” said Li Wen, a 29-year-old tech worker in Shanghai.
From Barron's • Apr. 11, 2026
While other retailers cut back, Revolve is doubling down on fast, free shipping and easy returns.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026
Households cut back on recreation, food, drinks and gasoline because of difficult driving conditions and lack of parking due to frozen snow.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 9, 2026
She bent her knees, growing heavy as she cut back toward where they’d started.
From "Uglies" by Scott Westerfeld
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.
