pruned; pruning
1
a
: to reduce especially by eliminating superfluous matter
pruned the text
prune the budget
b
: to remove as superfluous
prune away all ornamentation
2
: to cut off or cut back parts of for better shape or more fruitful growth
prune the branches
: to cut away what is unwanted or superfluous
pruner
noun
Synonyms
Examples of prune in a Sentence
Verb
She carefully pruned the hedge.
Those trees need to be pruned every year.
The students were asked to prune their essays.
The budget needs to be pruned.
Recent Examples on the Web
Manjula Martin, The New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2024
For example, mRNAs start out as longer rough drafts known as pre-mRNAs before cells prune sequences that don’t encode sections of proteins.
—Bymitch Leslie, science.org, 24 Oct. 2024
Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 3 Nov. 2024
Mind your brackets, gains and losses The fall season is prime time for tax loss harvesting, meaning that investors prune some of the worst underperformers in their taxable accounts to realize capital losses and offset capital gains.
—Darla Mercado, Cfp®, CNBC, 31 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for prune 
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Noun
There are a few dozen rose bushes, various other perennial flowers, and a brace of fruit trees: the six apples, two plums (Santa Rosa and European prune), a persimmon (Hachiya), and a multi-graft Asian pear whose branches the local raccoons keep breaking in their nightly revelry.
—Manjula Martin, The New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2024
For example, mRNAs start out as longer rough drafts known as pre-mRNAs before cells prune sequences that don’t encode sections of proteins.
—Bymitch Leslie, science.org, 24 Oct. 2024
Verb
Consider pruning the tree to maintain an open canopy that will dry more quickly.
—Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 3 Nov. 2024
Mind your brackets, gains and losses The fall season is prime time for tax loss harvesting, meaning that investors prune some of the worst underperformers in their taxable accounts to realize capital losses and offset capital gains.
—Darla Mercado, Cfp®, CNBC, 31 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for prune
Dictionary Entries Near prune
Cite this Entry
“Prune.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prune. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
prune
1 of 2 noun
: a dried plum
prune
2 of 2 verb
pruned; pruning
1
a
: to reduce by getting rid of matter that is not necessary or wanted
prune an essay
prune a budget
b
: to remove as unnecessary
2
: to cut off the parts of a woody plant that are dead or not wanted
prune the hedge
pruner
noun
Medical Definition
prune
noun
: a plum dried or capable of drying without fermentation and often used as a food and as a mild laxative
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