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
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The Trump Administration has effectively declared open war on higher education, targeting it with deep cuts to federal grant funding. D. Graham Burnett, New Yorker, 26 Apr. 2025 From deep cuts to guilty pleasures, each guest peels back the layers of the songs that left a mark on them — for better or worse. Matt Grobar, Deadline, 22 Apr. 2025 He’s been cheering on deep cuts across the federal workforce, even in critical areas like scientific research. Julia Korn, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025 Handout/Getty Images/Getty Images North America The Trump administration is proposing deep cuts at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, according to a draft budget proposal viewed by NPR. Alejandra Borunda, NPR, 11 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for deep cut

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 29 Apr. 2025.

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