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Cut down meaning

Cut down means to eat, drink or use less of something. It can also mean to cut through a tree so that it falls to the ground.

Check yourself: 3 questions

cut down

cut down · cut · cutting

B1No object+2 more meanings

I’m trying to cut down on sugar.

Cut down meanings and examples

3 meanings, each with its own CEFR level. A level marked ~ is our estimate: Oxford and Cambridge give none for that meaning.

  1. 1eat, drink or use less of something
  2. 2cut through a tree so that it falls to the ground
  3. 3make a text, speech or list shorter
  1. 1

    Eat, drink or use less of something

    cut down

    B1No object

    • I’m trying to cut down on sugar.
    • My doctor told me to cut down on coffee.
    • We haven’t stopped driving, but we’ve cut down a lot.
  2. 2

    Cut through a tree so that it falls to the ground

    cut something down

    B2Separable

    • They cut down the old oak to build a car park.
    • Please don’t cut that tree down! Birds live in it.
    • Thousands of trees are cut down every day.
  3. 3

    Make a text, speech or list shorter

    cut something down

    B2Separable

    • Your essay is too long. Can you cut it down?
    • I cut down my speech to three minutes.
    • We need to cut down the guest list.
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Is cut down separable?

When it means do less, cut down has no object, so use on before the thing: cut down on sweets. For trees and texts, it is separable: cut the tree down, cut it down.

Cut down means do less; cut out means stop completely. I cut down on bread means I eat less bread, not none.

Verb tenses for cut down

PresentI cut down · she cuts down
Pastcut down
Present perfecthave cut down
-ing formcutting down

Common mistakes with cut down

What learners often say, and what to say instead.

  • Wrong: I need to cut down sugar.

    Right: I need to cut down on sugar.

    In the do less meaning, use on before the thing.

  • Wrong: I cut down on smoking, so now I never smoke.

    Right: I gave up smoking, so now I never smoke.

    Cut down means less, not none; for stopping, say give up or cut out.

  • Wrong: The tree was too big, so they cut down it.

    Right: The tree was too big, so they cut it down.

    A pronoun goes between cut and down.

Synonyms and opposites of cut down

Words close to it, and words that mean the opposite.

Similar

Opposite

  • increasehave or use more of something
  • plantput a new tree into the ground

Cut down quiz

Three quick questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why.

  1. 1I sleep badly, so I’m ___ on coffee.

  2. 2Choose the right sentence.

  3. 3“The council cut down the trees on our street.” What happened?

More phrasal verbs with cut

5 phrasal verbs start with cut. Test yourself on all of them in a few minutes.

Test yourself on cutTake the full test

Cut down FAQ

Questions people ask about cut down.

What is the difference between cut down and cut back?

Both mean reduce. Cut back is used more for money and spending: The company cut back on staff. Cut down is common for food, drink and habits.

Is cut down on followed by -ing?

Yes, if you use a verb: I’m cutting down on eating out. Usually a noun is more common: cutting down on meat.

What is the difference between cut down and cut out?

Cut down means have less. Cut out means stop completely: I cut out sugar means no sugar at all.

Use cut down in real conversations

In Slova you learn new words with picture cards, then use them when you talk about the things you love. A few minutes a day, at your level.

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