as in trimmed
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as in shaved
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 pruned
Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2026
Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 June 2026
Plants tend to grow taller than determinate types and are commonly pruned to maintain a single central stem.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 16 June 2026
Not all varieties should be pruned.
—Tessa Cooper, The Spruce, 12 June 2026
Old-wood hydrangeas, like bigleaf and oakleaf, can be pruned in summer right after flowers fade to protect next year’s buds.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 9 June 2026
The olive trees on the property are pruned sparingly, watered once a week during their first year, and left to take deep root in soil that will sustain them for decades.
—Pooja Mistry, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
Several botanic gardens, such as South Coast Botanic Gardens in Rolling Hills Estates and the Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens in San Marino, have tulip and bulb gardens — the Huntington plants them in its famous rose garden to create filler color after the roses are pruned.
—Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 2 Jan. 2025
Adjective
Never leave pruned plant debris lying around the base of the tomato.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2026
Verb
Most plants should be pruned in the fall when the weather is cool.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 June 2026
Plants tend to grow taller than determinate types and are commonly pruned to maintain a single central stem.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 16 June 2026
Not all varieties should be pruned.
—Tessa Cooper, The Spruce, 12 June 2026
Old-wood hydrangeas, like bigleaf and oakleaf, can be pruned in summer right after flowers fade to protect next year’s buds.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 9 June 2026
The olive trees on the property are pruned sparingly, watered once a week during their first year, and left to take deep root in soil that will sustain them for decades.
—Pooja Mistry, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
Several botanic gardens, such as South Coast Botanic Gardens in Rolling Hills Estates and the Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens in San Marino, have tulip and bulb gardens — the Huntington plants them in its famous rose garden to create filler color after the roses are pruned.
—Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 2 Jan. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pruned
Adjective
-
Prevent ant hills by maintaining trimmed grass, removing debris, tilling soil, and planting pest-repellent herbs like mint or basil.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
1 June 2026
-
Air drying your un-trimmed hair might feel flat and weighed down, making some of the features in your face feel out of proportion.—
Audrey Noble,
Vogue,
30 May 2026
Verb
-
The decision to move elections to November shaved several months off the existing terms of the mayor, vice mayor and commissioners.—
Michelle Marchante,
Miami Herald,
12 June 2026
-
Fermin’s second home run in as many days after going deep for the first time in 121 plate appearances briefly shaved the Padres’ deficit to 4-2 in the fifth inning.—
Jeff Sanders,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 June 2026
Verb
-
The current unrest first erupted in May after Paz cut long-standing fuel subsidies to shrink the deficit.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
20 June 2026
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Some analysts expect Apple could benefit as manufacturers of Android devices cut specs or raise prices.—
Kif Leswing,
CNBC,
19 June 2026
Verb
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Eight minutes later the game was level when Hwang In-beom clipped the ball deftly over the onrushing Matej Kovar and Oh Hyeon-Gyu completed the comeback on 86 minutes.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
14 June 2026
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Scotland came close to a goal in the 17th minute when captain Scott McTominay got loose and fired a shot that clipped the top of the post.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
14 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pruned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pruned. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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