# cut down

CEFR B1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/cut-down
Updated: 2026-10-22

## Definition

to use or eat less of something, or to make a tree fall by cutting its trunk.

For teachers: to reduce the quantity or frequency of something; alternatively, to fell a tree. It functions transitively when referring to trees and often takes the preposition 'on' when referring to consumption.

## Examples

- He cuts down on soda to save money.
- The council decided to cut down the diseased elms to prevent the infection from spreading to the rest of the park.
- The editorial team had to cut down the manuscript significantly to meet the publisher's strict word count requirements for the autumn anthology.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I need to cut down of sugar." but "I need to cut down on sugar." — the preposition 'on' is required to connect the verb to the substance being reduced.

## Usage notes

- use 'on' after the phrase if you want to mention the specific thing you are reducing.
- Teaching tip: contrast the literal sense of felling a tree with the figurative sense of reducing consumption, noting that the latter usually requires 'on'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.