cord-cutting
noun
cord-cut·ting
ˈkȯrd-ˌkə-tiŋ 
variants
or less commonly cord cutting
: the act or process of canceling a subscription to cable television or to a landline telephone service
As cable news begins to feel the squeeze from cord-cutting, arch-rivals Fox News and CNN are stepping up efforts to adapt to the trend that poses a long-term threat to their businesses.—
Stephen Battaglio
Stephen BattaglioAlthough broadband rates don't appear to be rising substantially as a whole, there's a chance that cord cutting could someday lead providers to increase monthly Internet bills to mitigate the loss of cable customers, according to a MoffettNathanson report.—Makeda Easter
Makeda EasterThe majority of Americans … now rely solely on wireless telephones. That watershed cord-cutting moment was reached in the last half of 2016, according to the federal government.—Jan Cottingham
Jan CottinghamExamples of cord-cutting in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
While cord-cutting has resulted in some regional sports networks falling on to financial hard times in recent years, streaming services have shown increasing interest in broadcasting games.
—Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 21 June 2025
That should give all the league’s franchises a big infusion of new cash, at a time when one of their other traditional big checks, local rights deals with regional sports networks, are collapsing amid cord-cutting.
—David Bloom, Forbes.com, 19 June 2025
The same trends of cord-cutting and social media diffusion are affecting Canadian broadcasters and streamers.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 19 June 2025
The league spent the past year trying to get a handle on its present and future as cord-cutting has led customers to cancel cable (or never sign up) in droves, which puts acute pressure on RSNs and the pro sports franchises that rely on them for rights fees.
—Mike Vorkunov, New York Times, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for cord-cutting
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Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 21 June 2025
That should give all the league’s franchises a big infusion of new cash, at a time when one of their other traditional big checks, local rights deals with regional sports networks, are collapsing amid cord-cutting.
—David Bloom, Forbes.com, 19 June 2025
The same trends of cord-cutting and social media diffusion are affecting Canadian broadcasters and streamers.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 19 June 2025
The league spent the past year trying to get a handle on its present and future as cord-cutting has led customers to cancel cable (or never sign up) in droves, which puts acute pressure on RSNs and the pro sports franchises that rely on them for rights fees.
—Mike Vorkunov, New York Times, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for cord-cutting
Cite this Entry
“Cord-cutting.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cord-cutting. Accessed 27 Jun. 2025.
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