Phrasal Verbs with 'Cut' You Need to Know
When you think of the verb 'cut', you might picture scissors, knives or haircuts. But in English, 'cut' takes on a whole new life when combined with little words like 'off', 'out' or 'back'. These combinations are called phrasal verbs, and they are some of the trickiest parts of English to master.
In this post we will look at some of the most common phrasal verbs with 'cut' and see how they are used in everyday situations.
Cut off
Meaning: to stop a supply, service or connection.
The company cut off their electricity when they didn’t pay their bill.
It can also be used when someone is isolated from contact or communication.
She cut off all contact with her ex-husband after the divorce.
Cut across
Meaning: to go through or across something to take a shorter route.
Let’s cut across the park, it will be quicker.
It can also mean to affect or include different groups or situations.
The problem of climate change cuts across all societies.
Cut back on
Meaning: to reduce the amount of something.
We need to cut back on expenses at work.
The government is cutting back on spending in public services.
Cut out
Meaning: to remove or eliminate something completely.
I am trying to cut out sugar from my diet.
She cut out caffeine because it was affecting her sleep.
We are cutting out unnecessary costs this month.
It can also mean physically removing something with scissors or a knife.
The children were busy cutting out paper shapes.
She cut out the article and saved it in her notebook.
And it is also used when something suddenly stops working.
The car engine cut out in the middle of the motorway.
Finally, we use it when we want someone to stop doing something.
Cut it out, you are being annoying.
Cut down on
Meaning: to reduce the amount of something, often gradually.
He is cutting down on smoking.
The office is cutting down on paper use.
The government is cutting down on carbon emissions.
Notice the difference: 'cut out' means to remove something completely, while 'cut down on' means to reduce but not necessarily stop.
Cut into
Meaning: to reduce the amount of time, money or space available.
The traffic really cut into our evening plans.
The extra costs cut into the company’s profits.
Cut in
Meaning: to interrupt someone while they are speaking.
She cut in before I had finished my sentence.
It can also mean when a car suddenly moves in front of another vehicle.
A driver cut in right in front of me on the motorway.
Phrasal verbs with 'cut' are everywhere in spoken and written English. Some mean to reduce, some to remove, and others to interrupt or separate. Learning them in context is the best way to remember them.
Try practising by making your own sentences with these phrasal verbs. Ask yourself, what could you cut down on this week, and what might you want to cut out completely?
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