cut down

verb

cut down; cutting down; cuts down

transitive verb

1

a

: to strike down and kill or incapacitate

b

: knock down

2

a

: to remodel by removing extras or unwanted furnishings and fittings

b

: to remake in a smaller size

intransitive verb

: to reduce or curtail volume or activity

cut down on smoking

Phrases

cut down to size

: to reduce from an inflated or exaggerated importance to true or suitable stature

Examples of cut down in a Sentence

we need to cut down that dying tree

Recent Examples on the Web

The week before the ceremony, the community cuts down cottonwood trees and gathers yucca plants and other supplies for the dance. —Brittney Melton, NPR, 3 Apr. 2025

Spotify also pushes its free users toward premium subscriptions, without ads, which could cut down on its advertising ambitions. —Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 2 Apr. 2025

Restaurants and fast-food chains have been more reliant on discounts in recent years than ever to attract consumers, who are cutting down on expensive and nice-to-have items, including dining out, to save dollars amid still-high inflation. —Anuja Bharat Mistry, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2025

This dramatically cuts down on the potential for post-op complications and trauma. —Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 2 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1571, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Rhymes for cut down

• adown
• blowdown
• breakdown
• countdown
• crackdown
• crosstown
• downtown
• drawdown
• dropdown
• facedown
• godown
• hometown

Kids Definition

cut down

verb

1

: to knock down and kill or wound

2

: to make over in a smaller size

3

: to reduce something in amount

cut down on energy use

Medical Definition

cutdown

noun

cut·​down ˈkət-ˌdau̇n 

: incision of a superficial blood vessel (as a vein) to facilitate insertion of a catheter (as for administration of fluids)