deep cut

noun

plural deep cuts
1
music : a song that is considerably less popular and well-known than other songs on the same album or by the same artist
From there, the band careened through highlights and the occasional deep cut from its catalog …Mikael Wood
But the rocker saw an opportunity to turn casual fans on to his deep cuts—so each disc intersperses hits with lesser-known album tracks in non-chronological order.David Browne
2
: something (such as an obscure reference to a book or movie) that is recognizable to devotees but not usually to others
One of the fun things about being a Marvel fan is the franchise's ability to constantly surprise its audience with comic book deep cuts, surprising castings, and twists that no one sees coming.Alexis Nedd
deep-cut adjective
a deep-cut reference/joke

Examples of deep cut in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
For the skin, don’t apply it on acne-prone skin or to deep cuts or fresh burns. Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 21 June 2025 Cobra Kai's sixth and final season features callbacks that range from iconic Karate Kid moments that have permeated pop culture to deep cuts for the superfans. EW.com, 16 June 2025 But Trump and virtually all Congressional Republicans strongly support the bill’s central elements--very large tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, paid for by deep cuts in essential programs while adding trillions to the deficit. Richard McGahey, Forbes.com, 16 June 2025 Like National Weather Service offices across the country, the Quad Cities office is dealing with deep cuts after the Trump administration laid off probationary workers. Evan Bush, NBC news, 6 June 2025 Those companies — Tesla, the satellite company SpaceX, the social media platform X and the brain tech startup Neuralink — have faced growing criticism as Musk oversaw deep cuts to the federal workforce. Steve Kopack, NBC news, 5 June 2025 In light of deep cuts to federal and state programs, as well as rising utility and food costs, the Black church will be called upon to fill the gap in services. Willie Wilson, Chicago Tribune, 5 June 2025 The agency faces a lethal 57 percent reduction to its $9-billion budget, with deep cuts to every program except those in President Trump’s priority areas, which include artificial intelligence and quantum information science. Nadia Drake, Scientific American, 3 June 2025 Medicaid, which is facing deep cuts, is likely the biggest fight Senate Republicans will face. Brittney Melton, NPR, 2 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1993, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of deep cut was in 1993

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Cite this Entry

“Deep cut.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deep%20cut. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.

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