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cut down on meaning and examples

2025-09-12

Meaning

“Cut down on” means to reduce the amount or frequency of something, often related to food, drink, expenses, or habits.

Grammar and Usage

  • Pattern: cut down on + noun
  • Part of speech: phrasal verb (transitive, inseparable)
  • Used when someone wants to limit or reduce consumption or activity.

Example structures:

  • cut down on sugar
  • cut down on spending
  • cut down on smoking

Common Phrases

  • cut down on expenses
  • cut down on calories
  • cut down on drinking
  • cut down on time
  • cut down on pollution

Collocations

  • Verb + cut down on: try to cut down on, need to cut down on, decide to cut down on
  • Noun + cut down on: cut down on costs, cut down on waste, cut down on fat

Examples

  1. I’m trying to cut down on sugar to lose weight.
  2. The company needs to cut down on unnecessary expenses.
  3. He promised to cut down on smoking for his health.
  4. You should cut down on screen time before bed.
  5. We must cut down on plastic use to protect the environment.
  6. She decided to cut down on coffee because it made her anxious.
  7. Doctors advise people to cut down on salt in their diets.
  8. We’re looking for ways to cut down on travel costs.
  • reduce
  • lessen
  • decrease
  • trim down
  • cut back on

Antonym

  • increase
  • boost
  • step up
  • add to