as in to shave
to make (something) shorter or smaller with the use of a cutting instrument
pruned the dead branches from the old apple tree
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Recent Examples of prune
Look for citrus varieties grafted onto dwarf or semi-dwarf root stock so the citrus tree stays small and doesn’t need to be pruned or re-potted as often.
—
Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Mar. 2025
In the trim room, workers prune the buds of a new strain called Berry Payton.
—Pien Huang, NPR, 25 Mar. 2025
And city workers pruned trees to improve visibility of signage and traffic signals at MLK.
—Ariane Lange, Sacramento Bee, 24 Mar. 2025
Palm trees with fibrous trunks should be vigorously pruned and stripped of all fibrous tissue.
—Joshua Siskin, Orange County Register, 22 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prune
Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Mar. 2025
In the trim room, workers prune the buds of a new strain called Berry Payton.
—Pien Huang, NPR, 25 Mar. 2025
And city workers pruned trees to improve visibility of signage and traffic signals at MLK.
—Ariane Lange, Sacramento Bee, 24 Mar. 2025
Palm trees with fibrous trunks should be vigorously pruned and stripped of all fibrous tissue.
—Joshua Siskin, Orange County Register, 22 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prune
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prune
Verb
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Tommaso Ciampa has recently undergone a noticeable change in appearance by shaving off his trademark beard.—
Nicholas Creel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Apr. 2025
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With cord-cutting continuing to shave the traditional pay-TV bundle by millions of subscribers a year, however, FAST has become an increasingly vibrant part of the TV ecosystem.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
17 Apr. 2025
Verb
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In March, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that more than 80% of all USAID grants were being permanently cut.—
Violet Ikong,
Christian Science Monitor,
14 Apr. 2025
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The country’s Ministry of Trade and Industry cut its gross domestic product forecast to 0%-2% for 2025, down from its previous outlook of 1%-3%.—
Yeo Boon Ping,
CNBC,
14 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The idea of trimming the tree during Masters week with so many people nearby did not seem logical.—
Bob Spear,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Apr. 2025
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If that’s the case, then trimming current expenses to increase savings should accompany the move to a more conservative portfolio.—
Bill Conerly,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Here's exactly when to start mowing your lawn, depending on your growing conditions and grass type.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
22 Mar. 2025
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That insulation and humidity retention can improve germination, and the cover can be removed as the new grass approaches mowing height.—
Miri Talabac,
Baltimore Sun,
21 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Prune.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prune. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
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