large cut

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   A big reduction in something such as money, jobs, prices, or services.

   Grammar: Countable: use 'a large cut' for one reduction and 'large cuts' for several.

   Patterns

   • a large cut in something
   • a large cut to something
   • make a large cut

   The school announced a large cut in its arts budget.

   Farmers are angry about a large cut to fuel subsidies.

   After a large cut in staff, the office felt very quiet.

2. 2nouncountable

   A big opening or wound made by something sharp.

   Grammar: Countable and usually literal here; 'a large cut on the arm' names where the injury is.

   Patterns

   • a large cut on something
   • a large cut in something

   He came back from the hike with a large cut on his leg.

   The vet cleaned a large cut above the dog's eye.

Word forms

Common combinations

a large cut in spending

The government promised a large cut in spending next year.

a large cut to the workforce

A large cut to the workforce left many people looking for work.

announce a large cut

The company announced a large cut in its advertising budget.

a large cut in prices

Shoppers welcomed a large cut in prices before the holidays.

suffer a large cut

Local hospitals suffered a large cut in funding.

Synonyms and how they differ

reduction

Neutral and formal; use it when you simply mean a smaller amount, without the idea of something being sliced away.

slash

Stronger and more informal, suggesting a sudden, severe cut, as in 'a slash in funding'.

decrease

General and can be small; 'a large cut' always stresses that the reduction is big.

Opposites

Word family

cut verb

To reduce something, as in 'cut costs'.

cutback noun

A reduction, especially in spending or staff, as in 'budget cutbacks'.

cutting noun

The act of reducing something, as in 'the cutting of jobs'.

Commonly confused: large cut or big cut?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “large cut”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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