Cut out meaning
Cut out means to remove a shape from paper or cloth by cutting. It can also mean to stop eating, drinking or doing something completely.
cut something out
cut out · cut · cutting
The kids cut out paper stars for the window.
Cut out meanings and examples
4 meanings, each with its own CEFR level. A level marked ~ is our estimate: Oxford and Cambridge give none for that meaning.
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1
Remove a shape from paper or cloth by cutting
cut something out
- The kids cut out paper stars for the window.
- I cut the recipe out of a magazine.
- Cut out the coupon and bring it to the shop.
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2
Stop eating, drinking or doing something completely
cut something out
- I’ve cut out sugar for a month.
- She felt better after she cut dairy out.
- You don’t have to cut out bread completely.
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3
Suddenly stop working, used for engines and machines
cut out
- The engine cut out at the traffic lights.
- The sound kept cutting out during the call.
- Why does my wifi cut out every evening?
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4
Tell someone to stop doing something annoying
cut something out
- Cut it out, you two! I’m trying to work.
- Will you cut it out? That noise is driving me mad.
- I told him to cut it out, but he kept laughing.
Café orders
New friends
At the airport
Slova
Use cut out in real conversations
- Learn new words with picture cards
- Talk with Felix, an AI tutor, about the things you love
- Short lessons at your level, a few minutes a day
Is cut out separable?
With an object, cut out is separable: cut out the picture or cut the picture out. With a pronoun, it goes in the middle: cut it out.
Be cut out for means have the right qualities for a job: I’m not cut out for teaching. In this phrase it is always passive and has for.
Verb tenses for cut out
| Present | I cut out · she cuts out |
|---|---|
| Past | cut out |
| Present perfect | have cut out |
| -ing form | cutting out |
Common mistakes with cut out
What learners often say, and what to say instead.
Wrong: I loved the photo, so I cut out it.
Right: I loved the photo, so I cut it out.
A pronoun goes between cut and out.
Wrong: I’m not cut out to be a nurse job.
Right: I’m not cut out to be a nurse.
Use cut out to be + job, or cut out for + noun.
Wrong: I cut out on sugar last year.
Right: I cut out sugar last year.
Cut out takes the food directly; on goes with cut down.
Synonyms and opposites of cut out
Words close to it, and words that mean the opposite.
Similar
Opposite
- addput something into your diet or a text
- take upstart a new habit or hobby
Cut out quiz
Three quick questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why.
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1My doctor said I should ___ salt completely.
Cut out means stop completely; cut down would need on.
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2Choose the right sentence.
The phrase is be cut out for + noun.
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3“The car cut out on the hill.” What happened?
An engine cuts out when it suddenly stops working.
More phrasal verbs with cut
5 phrasal verbs start with cut. Test yourself on all of them in a few minutes.
Cut out FAQ
Questions people ask about cut out.
What does cut it out mean?
It is an informal way to tell someone to stop doing something annoying: Cut it out! It isn’t funny. It can sound rude to strangers.
What does not cut out for mean?
It means you do not have the right personality or skills for something: He’s not cut out for city life.
What is a cut-out?
A cut-out is a shape cut from paper or card, like a cardboard cut-out of a famous person.
Use cut out 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.