trim

trim — verb

1. to cut off small, uneven pieces from hair, nails, plants, or fabric so that the

1.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

to cut off small, uneven pieces from hair, nails, plants, or fabric so that the remaining part looks neat and well-shaped.

Example

Anthony decided to trim his beard before the job interview.

common objects: beard, hair, nails, hedge

The gardener trimmed the hedge outside the window into a straight line.

Common collocations
  • trim a beard
  • trim one's hair
  • trim a hedge
  • trim the grass
  • trim off the ends
Synonyms
  • clip

    often used for nails or animal fur; quicker and more casual

  • snip

    a smaller, more precise cut, usually with scissors

  • prune

    used for plants and trees, especially removing dead or overgrown branches

Antonyms
  • grow

    to let hair, nails, or plants become longer and fuller

Grammar Patterns

trim + [object]

trim + off + [excess]

Usage Note

The object is usually something that grows (hair, beard, nails, hedge, grass) or a fabric edge. If you need to remove a larger amount, use 'cut' instead.

Common Mistakes

I trimmed my hair short.
I cut my hair short.
'trim' means removing a small amount, not a big change.
She trimmed the meat into pieces.
She cut the meat into pieces.
for food preparation, use 'cut' or 'chop'.

2. to make something smaller in size, number, or cost by removing parts that are no

2.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

to make something smaller in size, number, or cost by removing parts that are not necessary.

Example

The company trimmed its budget by cutting travel and office supplies.

collocation: trim + budget / costs / spending / staff

Devika trimmed several pages from her report to keep it short.

Common collocations
  • trim the budget
  • trim costs
  • trim staff numbers
  • trim spending
  • trim the workforce
Synonyms
  • reduce

    more general; not limited to cutting away excess

  • cut

    stronger and more direct; often implies a larger reduction

  • slash

    informal; suggests a very large and sudden reduction

  • pare down

    suggests gradual removal of unnecessary parts

Antonyms
  • expand

    to make something larger in size or amount

  • increase

    to make something greater in number or value

Grammar Patterns

trim + [amount/number] + from + [total]

trim + [something] + by + [amount]

Usage Note

Often used in business and finance contexts (trim costs, trim the workforce, trim a budget). The focus is on making something leaner, not on physically cutting.

Common Mistakes

I trimmed my spending by buying a car.
I trimmed my spending by cutting unnecessary purchases.
'trim' means reduce, not increase.
The company trimmed the building.
The company trimmed its workforce.
'trim' with abstract objects works for size/costs, not physical structures.

3. to add decorative material or objects to the edge of something, such as clothing

3.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to add decorative material or objects to the edge of something, such as clothing, curtains, or food, to make it look more attractive.

Example

Mauricio trimmed the curtain edges with a thick gold ribbon.

pattern: trim + [object] + with + [decorative material]

The dress was trimmed with small flowers made of silk.

Common collocations
  • trimmed with lace
  • trimmed with gold
  • trimmed with ribbon
  • trimmed with fur
Synonyms
  • decorate

    more general; can apply to any kind of adornment, not just edges

  • ornament

    more formal; suggests adding decorative details

  • adorn

    formal; often used for clothing and ceremonial items

Grammar Patterns

trim + [object] + with + [decorative material]

Usage Note

Frequently appears in the passive form ('be trimmed with'). The decorative material is introduced by 'with'. This sense is different from sense 1 (cutting) — the focus is on adding, not removing.

Common Mistakes

She trimmed the cake with fresh cream.
She topped the cake with fresh cream.
'trim' for food means adding decorative edging, not spreading over the top.
The room was trimmed with new furniture.
The room was decorated with new furniture.
'trim' is about edging/accents, not general decoration.
Phrasal verbs

trim down

phrasal verb

To make something smaller, shorter, or less in amount.

Maya needs to trim down her essay to meet the word limit.

The company decided to trim down its workforce by ten percent.

Idioms

trim your sails

idiom

To adjust the sails of a boat to catch the wind better and go faster.

The captain told us to trim our sails as the wind shifted.

Before the race, Diego trimmed his sails carefully for maximum speed.

trim — adjective

trim — noun

trim — adverb

trim — idiom

Word family

  • trimmed
    adjectiveB1
  • trimming
    nounC1
  • trimmer
    nounC1
  • trimly
    adverbC2
  • untrimmed
    adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

'Trim', 'clip', 'prune', and 'snip' all involve cutting off parts, but each has a different range and purpose. 'Trim' is the most general — it means cutting a small amount from the edges to make something look neat, and it works for hair, nails, hedges, and fabric edges. 'Clip' suggests a quicker, more casual action, often with clippers or scissors, and is common for nails, animal fur, or tickets (clip a coupon). 'Prune' is specific to gardening — it means cutting away dead or overgrown branches from trees and bushes to help them grow healthily. 'Snip' is the lightest and most precise action, done with small scissors on a single small item, like snipping a thread or a flower stem. 'Cut' is the broadest of all — it can mean removing any amount, from a tiny snip to a major chop, and applies to any material. If you are at the barber and want just a little taken off, ask for a 'trim.' If you are working in the garden on an overgrown rose bush, you 'prune' it.

clip ↗prunesnipcut ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • trim away
  • trim down
  • trim off
  • keep in trim
  • in good trim

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The verb 'trim' comes from Old English 'trymman', meaning to strengthen, arrange, or set in order, which was derived from 'trum' meaning strong or firm. In Middle English, 'trimmen' developed a more decorative meaning — to adorn or dress up. By the 1500s, the sense of cutting away excess to make something neat had emerged, possibly influenced by the idea of trimming a garment with decorative edging. The use of 'trim' for reducing costs or size is a modern extension dating from the 1900s.