Meaning & use
cutting a ribbon
Last updated
Meaning
phrasefixed phrase
The act of formally opening a new building, road, or event by cutting a ceremonial ribbon.
Grammar: Used as a noun phrase; often after 'at' or in the structure 'cut the ribbon'.
Patterns
- cut the ribbon
- at the ribbon-cutting
- ribbon-cutting ceremony
The mayor will be cutting a ribbon at the new library on Saturday.
Cutting a ribbon is a traditional way to mark the opening of a bridge.
They invited a famous athlete to do the ribbon-cutting.
Common combinations
- ribbon-cutting ceremony
- The ribbon-cutting ceremony will start at ten o'clock.
- cut the ribbon
- The director cut the ribbon to open the new wing.
- at the ribbon-cutting
- Several local business owners were at the ribbon-cutting.
- official ribbon-cutting
- The official ribbon-cutting took place last Friday.
Synonyms and how they differ
- opening ceremony
- A broader term for any event that marks the start of something, not only the ribbon-cutting part.
- inauguration
- More formal and often used for the start of a leader's term or a large public project.
Word family
- ribbon noun
- A long, narrow strip of fabric used for decoration or tying.
- ribbon-cutting noun
- The ceremony or event of cutting a ribbon to open something.
Practice
The mayor will be _____ at the new park tomorrow.
Choose one answer.
'Cutting a ribbon' is the correct phrase here because it describes the action in progress. 'Cutting the ribbon' also exists but is less common in this exact continuous form; 'cut a ribbon' is wrong because the verb needs -ing after 'will be'; 'cutting ribbon' is missing the article.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “cutting a ribbon”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.