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
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
Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Mar. 2025
Aromas of raspberries and prunes, followed by flavors as light as a Beaujolais, with sleek acidity, fresh and snappy dark plum flavors as well as prunes.
—Tom Mullen, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2025
Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Mar. 2025
Residents can help maintain tree health in Saratoga by regularly watering and pruning trees on their property, reporting signs of disease or damage to the city and applying for a tree permit removal as needed.
—Belal Aftab, The Mercury News, 16 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prune
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Noun
To lessen the chance of diseases spreading and developing, prune when the weather is dry, not rainy.
—Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Mar. 2025
Aromas of raspberries and prunes, followed by flavors as light as a Beaujolais, with sleek acidity, fresh and snappy dark plum flavors as well as prunes.
—Tom Mullen, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2025
Verb
Tree Care Tree care, for purposes of the report, includes three applications of tree fertilizer, regular spraying, trimming, and pruning, as well as the removal of one 30-foot-tall tree.
—Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Mar. 2025
Residents can help maintain tree health in Saratoga by regularly watering and pruning trees on their property, reporting signs of disease or damage to the city and applying for a tree permit removal as needed.
—Belal Aftab, The Mercury News, 16 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prune
Cite this Entry
“Prune.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prune. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.
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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