pare

as in to shave
to make (something) shorter or smaller with the use of a cutting instrument pared the stray branches on the tree

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of pare To make that possible, models are often pared down to conserve energy and processing power. Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 7 Sep. 2025 What Brown and Downing have done, following comments Vrabel made last March, is help pare down the verbiage in McDaniels’ system. Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 7 Sep. 2025 Once its largest shareholder with a 40% stake, Lefkofsky stepped down from an active leadership role at Groupon in 2015 and has since pared his holdings to just under 10%. Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 3 Sep. 2025 Dress it up with a pair of tights, a skirt, and some ballet flats, or pare it down with your favorite jeans, a tote bag, and some comfy sneakers. Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 2 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pare
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pare
Verb
  • Last week, the Congressional Budget Office estimated that tariffs would shave trillions of dollars off the federal budget deficit.
    Jason Ma, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2025
  • Per a Vogue cover story earlier this month, the actress’ head was shaved in real time during a scene in the movie.
    Jack Smart, People.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Initially lined up outside, Chiefs defensive end Chris Jones quickly cut inside to beat the right tackle.
    Pete Sweeney, Kansas City Star, 6 Sep. 2025
  • On the northeast of the fire, by Sugar Pine Mountain, crews worked in steep, inaccessible terrain to bring containment lines into the natural rock bluff, trying to cut the fire off south of the Wishon Reservoir for the protection of the critical hydroelectric infrastructure.
    CA WILDFIRE BOT, Sacbee.com, 6 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Undeterred, Rodgers connected on a five-yard touchdown pass to Jaylen Warren to trim the deficit to 26-24.
    Mike DeFabo, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
  • For his efforts, which also included spending more than $7,000 to trim trees and cut down two redwoods and a fir, he was rewarded with a certificate from the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety that persuaded his insurer to maintain his coverage.
    Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 7 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pare.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pare. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on pare

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!