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

Tangles and frizz go hand in hand, so a big step in learning how to get rid of frizzy hair is cutting down on tangles. —Bella Cacciatore, Glamour, 12 Feb. 2025

Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi cut down on his turnovers, which was good, but also his explosive plays. —Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 10 Feb. 2025

This helps cut down on checkout time and keeps the line moving swiftly. —Jenna Sims, Southern Living, 9 Feb. 2025

Migrants welcomed under Biden are fearful as Trump targets legal immigration programs President Trump has cut down pathways for legal immigration that offered a lifeline for hundreds of thousands of people who fled war and other political or humanitarian crises. —Kevinisha Walker, Los Angeles Times, 8 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1571, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

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)