trimmed; trimming
1
a
: to remove by or as if by cutting
trimmed thousands from federal payrolls—
Grit
Grit
b
: to make trim and neat especially by cutting or clipping
trim the hedges
c
: to free of excess or extraneous matter by or as if by cutting
trim a budget
trim down the inventory
2
: to embellish with or as if with ribbons, lace, or ornaments
trim the Christmas tree
the coat was trimmed with fur
4
a(1)
: to cause (a ship) to assume a desirable position in the water by arrangement of ballast, cargo, or passengers
(2)
: to adjust (something, such as an airplane or submarine) for horizontal movement or for motion upward or downward
b
: to adjust (something, such as cargo or a sail) to a desired position
1
a
: to maintain neutrality between opposing parties or to favor each equally
b
: to change one's views for reasons of expediency
2
: to assume or cause a boat to assume a desired position in the water
a boat that trims badly
trimmer; trimmest
1
: exhibiting neatness, good order, or compactness of line or structure
a trim beard
trim lawns
… a trim, well-built beach house not far from a spanking new superhighway.—The Saturday Review
The Saturday Review2
: slim and physically fit
kept himself trim by biking every day
His lithe student, trim in a tennis dress, watched while holding her racquet on her shoulder.—E. L. Doctorow
E. L. Doctorow3
: ready for service or use
trimly
adverb
trimness
noun
: in a trim manner : trimly
—used chiefly in combination
the trim-cut forest vistas—W. M. Thackeray
W. M. Thackeray1
: a haircut that neatens a previous haircut
2
a
: material used for ornament or trimming
b
: the material (such as wood, stone, or vinyl) in the finish of a building especially around openings
But now, marble is back in style with a vengeance, in demand for building facades, interior trim and finishes.—David Roberts
David RobertsIn home building, carpenters build the house framework, frame the roof and interior partitions, and install doors, windows, flooring, cabinets, wood paneling, and molding and trim.—Occupational Outlook Handbook
Occupational Outlook Handbook
c
: the interior furnishings of an automobile
d
: one's clothing or appearance
3
: suitable or excellent condition
tries to keep in trim
4
a
: the position of a ship or boat especially with reference to the horizontal
also
: the difference between the draft of a ship forward and that aft
b
: the relation between the plane of a sail and the direction of the ship
c
: the buoyancy status of a submarine
d
: the attitude of a lighter-than-air craft relative to a fore-and-aft horizontal plane
e
: the attitude with respect to wind axes at which an airplane will continue in level flight with free controls
5
: something that is trimmed off or cut out
Phrases
trim one's sails
: to adjust oneself or one's actions to prevailing conditions
compromise or trim your sails to suit the political winds—Philip Johnston
Philip Johnston
Synonyms
Verb
- beat
- best
- conquer
- defeat
- dispatch
- do down [British]
- get
- get around
- lick
- master
- overbear
- overcome
- overmatch
- prevail (over)
- skunk
- stop
- subdue
- surmount
- take
- triumph (over)
- upend
- win (against)
- worst
Adjective
- antiseptic
- bandbox
- crisp
- groomed
- kempt
- neat
- orderly
- picked up
- prim
- shipshape
- smug
- snug
- tidied
- tidy
- trig
- uncluttered
- well-groomed
Noun
Examples of trim in a Sentence
Verb
The hedges need to be trimmed.
They are looking for ways to trim the budget.
We trimmed the Christmas tree.
a pillow trimmed in lace
Adjective
She has a trim figure.
He keeps fit and trim by biking.
Noun
a skirt with lace trim
the doctor declared her to be in good trim for the race
Recent Examples on the WebOwen Bellwood / Jalopnik, Quartz, 13 Apr. 2024
The resulting collection includes sheet and duvet sets, a wool blanket and throw, towel sets and a cotton velour bathrobe, all trimmed with four serial bars, an instantly recognizable Thom Browne motif.
—Devorah Lev-Tov Kin Woo Ella Riley-Adams Jameson Montgomery Kurt Soller Megan O’Sullivan, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2024
This time around, the vast majority of the layoffs are not in the tech industry, a sector that has been trimming jobs at an elevated pace for more than two years.
—George Avalos, The Mercury News, 11 Apr. 2024
Trailing by 14 points with 7:23 left in the fourth quarter, the Heat made a huge push to go on a 16-4 run and trim the deficit to just two points with 3:21 to play.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 7 Apr. 2024
So, avoid the pieces that lean on the gaudy side in favor of elevated basics like a midi skirt with a simple sequin trim or a shirt with a strategic cutout.
—Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 3 Apr. 2024
Inside a clinic wedged next to a smoke shop in a South Los Angeles strip mall, Dr. Mohamad Yaghi operated on a 28-year-old woman who had traveled from Las Vegas to have fat trimmed from her arms and stomach.
—Emily Alpert Reyes, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2024
Despite letting people know prices were going up, Tesla was forced to trim production from its Shanghai factory, Bloomberg reported late last month.
—Bloomberg, Fortune Asia, 1 Apr. 2024
The effort to trim pilot staffing is the latest sign that production problems at Boeing and its suppliers are rippling through the aviation industry.
—Joel Rose, NPR, 1 Apr. 2024
Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 15 Apr. 2024
The two-story build sits on about half an acre with four bedrooms plus two-and-a-half baths in a tent-like structure that’s finished in plaster and dark wood trim.
—Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 28 Mar. 2024
My test car wore the Pinnacle trim, which brings many niceties.
—Mark Ewing, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
Cutting guards are made with fiberglass to prevent buckling and help with an even trim.
—Amanda Ogle, Southern Living, 28 Nov. 2023
Miller, for one, stepped out in Paris wearing a white slip dress with lace trim.
—Christian Allaire, Vogue, 20 Mar. 2024
With its array of trim choices, the Mustang has a wide range of starting prices, $32,515 to $61,080 depending on the trim and options.
—James Raia, The Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2024
The effervescent hue is broken up only by a black hood and chrome trim, as well as the lower carbon-fiber sections which have been painted silver after having been left exposed on the first two cars in the series.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 29 Feb. 2024
With a third row of seats, the car can seat seven to 8 passengers, depending on the trim level.
—Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 27 Feb. 2024
Alicia Kortendick, al, 15 Apr. 2020
Eliminating the resources that are underutilized, making the budget as trim as possible.
—Alec Johnson, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 28 Feb. 2018
Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 3 Apr. 2024
With a million featherlight hammer taps, Hampton built batches of trim molding and sawtooth decoration.
—Jeff MacGregor, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
Bangs typically need more frequent trims than the rest of hair, says Kim, who recommends trimming them every three to four weeks.
—Danielle Sinay, Glamour, 28 Mar. 2024
In January, Ford recalled about 1.9 million Ford Explorer SUVs because the windshield trim panels could fly off while the vehicle is traveling at highway speeds.
—Khristopher J. Brooks, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2024
Interior flourishes include magnesium paddle shifters, performance seats, orange trim highlights and Bang & Olufsen audio.
—Mark Phelan, Detroit Free Press, 21 Mar. 2024
Poking fun at the doctor’s ambient sexism and largely eliminating his icky detour into eugenics are likewise improvements, as is an overall trim that reduces the playing time of the five-act play to barely two hours.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 18 Mar. 2024
The clocks have moved forward, the Blue Bonnets are popping, and the grass is ready for a trim.
—Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 14 Mar. 2024
It’s made of light-colored canvas, with a contrasting trim in red, blue, yellow or green.
—Emily Heil, Washington Post, 11 Mar. 2024
Verb
Tesla has been trimming the cost of its range for months, Lucid followed suit and Fisker is even offering its electric SUV for less than $25,000.
—Owen Bellwood / Jalopnik, Quartz, 13 Apr. 2024
The resulting collection includes sheet and duvet sets, a wool blanket and throw, towel sets and a cotton velour bathrobe, all trimmed with four serial bars, an instantly recognizable Thom Browne motif.
—Devorah Lev-Tov Kin Woo Ella Riley-Adams Jameson Montgomery Kurt Soller Megan O’Sullivan, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2024
This time around, the vast majority of the layoffs are not in the tech industry, a sector that has been trimming jobs at an elevated pace for more than two years.
—George Avalos, The Mercury News, 11 Apr. 2024
Trailing by 14 points with 7:23 left in the fourth quarter, the Heat made a huge push to go on a 16-4 run and trim the deficit to just two points with 3:21 to play.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 7 Apr. 2024
So, avoid the pieces that lean on the gaudy side in favor of elevated basics like a midi skirt with a simple sequin trim or a shirt with a strategic cutout.
—Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 3 Apr. 2024
Inside a clinic wedged next to a smoke shop in a South Los Angeles strip mall, Dr. Mohamad Yaghi operated on a 28-year-old woman who had traveled from Las Vegas to have fat trimmed from her arms and stomach.
—Emily Alpert Reyes, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2024
Despite letting people know prices were going up, Tesla was forced to trim production from its Shanghai factory, Bloomberg reported late last month.
—Bloomberg, Fortune Asia, 1 Apr. 2024
The effort to trim pilot staffing is the latest sign that production problems at Boeing and its suppliers are rippling through the aviation industry.
—Joel Rose, NPR, 1 Apr. 2024
Adjective
The original structure, designed by Charles Coolidge Haight in French chateau style with English Gothic trim, served as the New York Cancer Hospital, a cancer treatment and research institution.
—Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 15 Apr. 2024
The two-story build sits on about half an acre with four bedrooms plus two-and-a-half baths in a tent-like structure that’s finished in plaster and dark wood trim.
—Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 28 Mar. 2024
My test car wore the Pinnacle trim, which brings many niceties.
—Mark Ewing, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
Cutting guards are made with fiberglass to prevent buckling and help with an even trim.
—Amanda Ogle, Southern Living, 28 Nov. 2023
Miller, for one, stepped out in Paris wearing a white slip dress with lace trim.
—Christian Allaire, Vogue, 20 Mar. 2024
With its array of trim choices, the Mustang has a wide range of starting prices, $32,515 to $61,080 depending on the trim and options.
—James Raia, The Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2024
The effervescent hue is broken up only by a black hood and chrome trim, as well as the lower carbon-fiber sections which have been painted silver after having been left exposed on the first two cars in the series.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 29 Feb. 2024
With a third row of seats, the car can seat seven to 8 passengers, depending on the trim level.
—Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 27 Feb. 2024
Adverb
Sturdy but comfortable, this 1901 shirt is trim-tailored and comes in two colors, Grey Magnet Oxford and Blue White Bengal Stripe.
—Alicia Kortendick, al, 15 Apr. 2020
Eliminating the resources that are underutilized, making the budget as trim as possible.
—Alec Johnson, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 28 Feb. 2018
Noun
The two-seat interior, meanwhile, is covered in black leather and exposed carbon-fiber trim.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 3 Apr. 2024
With a million featherlight hammer taps, Hampton built batches of trim molding and sawtooth decoration.
—Jeff MacGregor, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
Bangs typically need more frequent trims than the rest of hair, says Kim, who recommends trimming them every three to four weeks.
—Danielle Sinay, Glamour, 28 Mar. 2024
In January, Ford recalled about 1.9 million Ford Explorer SUVs because the windshield trim panels could fly off while the vehicle is traveling at highway speeds.
—Khristopher J. Brooks, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2024
Interior flourishes include magnesium paddle shifters, performance seats, orange trim highlights and Bang & Olufsen audio.
—Mark Phelan, Detroit Free Press, 21 Mar. 2024
Poking fun at the doctor’s ambient sexism and largely eliminating his icky detour into eugenics are likewise improvements, as is an overall trim that reduces the playing time of the five-act play to barely two hours.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 18 Mar. 2024
The clocks have moved forward, the Blue Bonnets are popping, and the grass is ready for a trim.
—Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 14 Mar. 2024
It’s made of light-colored canvas, with a contrasting trim in red, blue, yellow or green.
—Emily Heil, Washington Post, 11 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'trim.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Verb
probably from Middle English *trimmen to prepare, put in order, from Old English trymian, trymman to strengthen, arrange, from trum strong, firm; probably akin to Old English trēo tree, wood — more at tree entry 1
First Known Use
Verb
circa 1521, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2
Adjective
circa 1521, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Adverb
1529, in the meaning defined above
Noun
circa 1593, in the meaning defined at sense 3
Phrases Containing trim
Dictionary Entries Near trim
Cite this Entry
“Trim.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trim. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
trim
1 of 4 verb
trimmed; trimming
1
: to decorate with ribbons, lace, or ornaments : adorn
trim a Christmas tree
a jacket trimmed with leather
2
: to defeat in a game or contest
3
a
: to make trim and neat especially by cutting or clipping
trim the bushes
trimmed her hair
b
: to free of excess or unnecessary matter by or as if by cutting
trim a steak
trim a budget
4
: to cause (as a ship) to take the right position in the water by balancing the load carried
5
: to adjust (as an airplane or submarine) for horizontal movement or for motion upward or downward
6
: to adjust (as a sail) to a desired position
trimmer
noun
trim
2 of 4 adjective
trimmer; trimmest
1
: ready for service or use
2
: slim and physically fit
keeps trim by jogging
3
: neat, orderly, and compact in line or structure
a trim house
trimly
adverb
trimness
noun
trim
3 of 4 adverb
: in a trim manner : trimly
trim
4 of 4 noun1
: good or healthy condition : fitness
2
a
: material used for ornament or trimming
b
: the woodwork in the finish of a building especially around doors and windows
3
a
: the position of a ship or boat especially with reference to the horizontal
b
: the relation between the plane of a sail and the direction of the ship
c
: the position of an airplane at which it will continue in level flight with no adjustments to the controls
4
: something that is trimmed off or cut out
5
: a haircut that neatens a previous haircut
Geographical Definition
Trim
geographical name
town in eastern Ireland area population 8268
Note: Trim is the capital of County Meath.
More from Merriam-Webster on trim
Nglish: Translation of trim for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of trim for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about trim
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