I cannot prune this tree. It's too high.
Source: tatoeba (1686873)
Prune
/pɹuːn/
Synonyms for "prune" (244 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (49)
Strong matches (73)
Noun(14 words)
cutcut branchcutbackcutsdeadheaddeadline driven algorithmdisbuddownsizingdried fruitdried plumdried plumsedgesexpurgatinghorticulture term
Verb(14 words)
cutcut backdecapitateddecapitatesdiscard unused itemsdiscardeddresseconomizedelideseliminatedexcisedexcludedexpurgatesflense
Related words (122)
inciseisolatejigsawknock offlancelistlopminimizemoronmowmulchmutilateniporangeparepeelpick outplowpollpollard
Show 52 more words
rakereaprecaprecapitulatereducerendretrenchriveroot outrule outsawscissorset apartset asidesevershaveshearshortenskiveslashsliceslitsnipsnubspadesplitstamp outstrike offstripstrip offstuntsum upsummarizesundersynopsizetake intake offtake outteartelescopethinthin outtilltill the soiltoptrimtruncateweedweed outwhittlewipe outwork
Noun(31 words)
junkinglimbsloppinglopsmeasured trimnippingold womanpreserved plumpruned shootpruned twigrazorsreducerootstalkscreeningshrinksimplifyslicingsneadsuckersuckering
Show 11 more words
sun dried plumtrimtrim appearancetrimmertrimmingtrimstruncatingunembellishingunword a statementweedszib
Verb(19 words)
loploppedparedparesrationaliserationalizeremove object from datasetretrenchedsimplifiessnipstriptthinnedtidiedtrimtrimmedtruncate historytruncateswhackedwhittled
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: abbreviate, abridge, abscind, abstract, amputate.
- Sentence evidence is available for prune, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, derived_reverse, opengloss, wordnet, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "prune".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "prune"
Keep "prune" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "prune" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "prune", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "prune" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
20 entriesShowing 16 of 20 words.
More specific
18 entriesSultan prunecost complexity pruningdamson prunedeadheaddimensionality reductionfeature pruninggreengage prunenoise pruningpinchingprepruningpruned branchpruned shootpruned twigrecord pruningreduced error pruningthinning
Showing 16 of 18 words.
Collocations
11 entriesSultan prunecost complexity pruningdamson prunedata pruningdried prunegreengage pruneprune branchesprune hedgesprune juicepruned twigpruning shears
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
6 entriesTranslations
58 translations across 41 languages.
Arabic
4 entries- أَجَاص noun (dried plum)
- خَوْخ مُجَفَّف noun (dried plum)
- عَوِينَة noun (dried plum)
- عَوِينَة مُجَفَّفَة noun (dried plum)
Armenian
1 entries- սալորաչիր noun (dried plum)
Bulgarian
1 entries- сушена слива noun (dried plum)
Catalan
1 entries- pruna seca noun (dried plum)
Chinese Mandarin
4 entries- 乾梅子 /干梅子 noun (dried plum)
- 李子乾 /李子干 noun (dried plum)
- 梅乾 /梅干 noun (dried plum)
- 西梅乾 /西梅干 noun (dried plum)
Czech
1 entries- sušená švestka noun (dried plum)
Danish
1 entries- sveske noun (dried plum)
Dutch
1 entries- gedroogde pruim noun (dried plum)
Esperanto
1 entries- sekigita pruno noun (dried plum)
Finnish
1 entries- kuivattu luumu noun (dried plum)
French
1 entries- pruneau noun (dried plum)
Galician
1 entries- ameixa secada noun (dried plum)
German
3 entries- Backpflaume noun (dried plum)
- Dörrpflaume noun (dried plum)
- Trockenpflaume noun (dried plum)
Greek
1 entries- αποξηραμένο δαμάσκηνο noun (dried plum)
Hungarian
1 entries- aszalt szilva noun (dried plum)
Icelandic
1 entries- sveskja noun (dried plum)
Irish
1 entries- prúna noun (dried plum)
Italian
1 entries- prugna secca noun (dried plum)
Japanese
2 entries- プルーン noun (dried plum)
- 西洋李 noun (dried plum)
Korean
1 entries- 말린 자두 noun (dried plum)
Macedonian
1 entries- сува слива noun (dried plum)
Middle English
1 entries- prune noun (dried plum)
Māori
2 entries- paramu menge noun (dried plum)
- purunu noun (dried plum)
Navajo
1 entries- chʼil naʼatłʼoʼiitsoh noun (dried plum)
Norwegian Bokmål
1 entries- sviske noun (dried plum)
Norwegian Nynorsk
1 entries- sviske noun (dried plum)
Polish
1 entries- suszona śliwka noun (dried plum)
Portuguese
1 entries- ameixa seca noun (dried plum)
Romanian
1 entries- prună uscată noun (dried plum)
Russian
1 entries- черносли́в noun (dried plum)
Scottish Gaelic
2 entries- prùn noun (dried plum)
- searg noun (dried plum)
Serbo-Croatian
2 entries- suva šljiva noun (dried plum)
- сува шљива noun (dried plum)
Slovak
1 entries- sušená slivka noun (dried plum)
Slovene
1 entries- suha sliva noun (dried plum)
Spanish
3 entries- ciruela pasa noun (dried plum)
- guindón noun (dried plum)
- pruna seca noun (dried plum)
Swedish
2 entries- katrinplommon noun (dried plum)
- sviskon noun (dried plum)
Turkish
1 entries- kuru erik noun (dried plum)
Ukrainian
1 entries- чорно́слив noun (dried plum)
Vietnamese
1 entries- nho khô noun (dried plum)
Walloon
3 entries- caetche noun (dried plum)
- pronne noun (dried plum)
- purnea noun (dried plum)
Yup'ik
1 entries- isuumaq noun (dried plum)
Sample sentences
20 total sentences available.
I can't prune this tree. It's too tall.
Source: tatoeba (2278753)
Why did the tomato go out with a prune? Because it couldn't find a date.
Source: tatoeba (2570785)
Tom and Mary had to prune their household budget when Tom was retrenched from work.
Source: tatoeba (3677923)
Showing 4 of 20 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "prune"?
Closest matches include abbreviate, abridge, abscind, abstract, amputate.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "prune"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.