lopping (off)

Definition of lopping (off)next
present participle of lop (off)
as in shaving
to make (something) shorter or smaller with the use of a cutting instrument the hair stylist started by lopping off several inches from her long tresses, before beginning to shape what was left

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

See the Dictionary Definition 

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for lopping (off)
Verb
  • In practical terms, that is roughly a 1–2 percent reduction in total mission velocity change, which is the equivalent of shaving a few liters off every hundred liters in a long-distance road trip.
    Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 17 May 2026
  • Gonce's daily life revolves around caring for Jason — administering medicine, preparing food, bathing and shaving him and keeping him safe.
    Mike Hixenbaugh, NBC news, 15 May 2026
Verb
  • The Tempo didn’t make things easy, cutting the deficit to two points late and later trailing by just three with 31 seconds remaining and possession of the ball.
    Marisa Ingemi, Los Angeles Times, 16 May 2026
  • The bridge demonstrates a new, lighter approach to low-carbon infrastructure, cutting waste and CO₂ by depositing concrete only where needed.
    Srishti Gupta, Interesting Engineering, 16 May 2026
Verb
  • Ariel is not the only institution cutting back on its Sphere exposure.
    Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 15 May 2026
  • Even consumers who can afford to spend are anxious and cutting back on nonessential purchases, leaving many businesses empty.
    Malak Harb, Fortune, 15 May 2026
Verb
  • Mamdani’s Executive Budget rightly addresses some of this excess, trimming DOC’s uniformed headcount by 586 positions, and putting the city on track to save $78 million next year.
    Jason Rodriguez, New York Daily News, 16 May 2026
  • The conglomerate also fully exited Amazon after trimming the position late last year.
    Yun Li, CNBC, 15 May 2026
Verb
  • Since then, and especially over the past year, clipping has gone professional.
    Lane Brown, Vulture, 15 May 2026
  • Thin Extra Seedlings After the seeds sprout and are a few inches tall with true leaves, thin out the weakest plants by clipping them off at the soil line with scissors.
    Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 May 2026
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.

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lopping (off).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lopping%20%28off%29. Accessed 22 May. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster