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📕 rednote ID(小红书号)：3881567312

Cut Back: Meaning, Examples, and Usage Guide (2 meaning)

Meaning 1：Reduce consumption (cut back)

cut back 🔊

/kʌt bæk/

phr.v.

To reduce the amount of something you use or do, often to improve your health or save money.

Cut back on sugar: person pouring less into tea with calendar

Reduce consumption 🔊

➕

/rɪˈdjuːs kənˈsʌmpʃən/

phr.v.

To decrease the amount of something you consume or do, often for health or financial reasons.

📁 Category：Diet & Health 🔖 Level：intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

A phrasal verb combining 'cut' (to reduce) and 'back' (indicating retreat or reduction).

💡 Mnemonic

Imagine using scissors to cut a length of rope, then pulling it back to make it shorter.

📖 Example

My doctor advised me to cut back on coffee to help me sleep better at night. 🔊 My doctor advised me to cut back on coffee to help me sleep better at night.

🔗 Collocations

cut back on sugar – Reduce the amount of sugar consumed

cut back on spending – Reduce the amount of money spent

cut back on screen time – Reduce the time spent using electronic devices

🔄 Synonyms

reduce (v.) – Make something smaller or less in amount

curtail (v.) – Reduce or limit something, especially an activity or expenditure

decrease (v.) – Become smaller or less in size, amount, or degree

🚫 Antonyms

increase (v.) – Make something larger or greater in amount

expand (v.) – Become or make larger in size, scope, or amount

🌱 Derivatives

cutback (n.) – A reduction in something, especially expenditure

📖 Cultural Story

The phrasal verb 'cut back' originated in gardening (to prune plants) in the 19th century, and later evolved to mean reducing expenses or consumption. It's widely used in health advice and corporate finance.

Meaning 2：Reduce spending (cut back)

cut back 🔊

/kʌt bæk/

phr.v.

To spend less money; to reduce the amount of money being used, especially by a company or government.

Cut back spending: graph showing downward trend with scissors

Reduce spending 🔊

➕

/rɪˈdjuːs ˈspendɪŋ/

phr.v.

To spend less money; to reduce the amount of money being used, especially by a company or government.

📁 Category：Social Economy 🔖 Level：intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

To save costs, the company had to cut back on business travel and encourage online meetings. 🔊 To save costs, the company had to cut back on business travel and encourage online meetings.

🔗 Collocations

cut back on expenses – Reduce the amount of money spent on costs

cut back on travel – Reduce the frequency or cost of travel

cut back on staff – Reduce the number of employees to save money

🔄 Synonyms

economize (v.) – Spend less money; reduce expenses

tighten one's belt (idiom) – Spend less money than usual because of financial difficulties

scale down (phr.v.) – Reduce the size, amount, or extent of something

🚫 Antonyms

increase spending (phr.) – To spend more money

expand (v.) – Increase in size, amount, or scope

🌱 Derivatives

cutback (n.) – A reduction in something, especially expenditure