cut out

3 meanings

Meanings
  1. 1 stop doing or eating something completely B2
  2. 2 suddenly stop working (an engine or machine) B2
  3. 3 cut a shape or piece from paper or cloth A2
1 cut sth out

stop doing or eating something completely

B2

What does "cut out" mean in this sense?

To cut out something means to stop doing or consuming it completely — not just less of it, but none at all. It's most commonly used in the context of diet and lifestyle changes, such as eliminating certain foods, drinks, or habits from your daily routine. The emphasis is on total removal: if you cut out sugar, you're not having even a little. This phrasal verb is very natural in everyday English, especially in conversations about health, wellbeing, and self-improvement. You'll hear it a lot on health blogs, in interviews, and in casual chat — it has a practical, no-nonsense feel to it.

Examples

How to use it

cut out + noun object

The most common pattern, where the thing being eliminated follows the particle.

She decided to cut out caffeine after reading about its effects on sleep.

cut + short noun object + out

Short noun objects can be placed between the verb and particle for a very natural, idiomatic effect.

He cut sugar out entirely and says he has so much more energy now.

cut + pronoun + out

When the object is a pronoun, it must go between the verb and the particle — there is no other option.

Dairy was causing problems, so I cut it out about a year ago.

cut out + -ing

Used when the thing being eliminated is a habitual activity rather than a substance.

My nutritionist suggested cutting out snacking between meals.

cut out + noun + of + context

Adding 'of + context' specifies where or from what routine something is being removed.

He's been trying to cut fast food out of his weekly routine.

Common Collocations

cut out sugarcut out caffeinecut out alcoholcut out meatcut out junk foodcut out bad habits

Common Mistakes

Pronoun placed after the particle

When the object is a pronoun like 'it' or 'them', it must go between 'cut' and 'out'. Placing it after 'out' is ungrammatical in English.

✗ I decided to cut out it completely.
✓ I decided to cut it out completely.
Confusing 'cut out' with 'cut down on'

'Cut down on' means to reduce something, while 'cut out' means to stop entirely. Use 'cut out' only when the elimination is total, not partial.

✗ I've cut out red meat, but I still have it once a week.
✓ I've cut down on red meat, but I still have it once a week.
Separating with a long noun phrase

Placing a very long noun phrase between 'cut' and 'out' sounds awkward. With longer objects, it's more natural to keep 'cut out' together and put the object after the particle.

✗ I've cut all refined sugar and processed carbohydrates out.
✓ I've cut out all refined sugar and processed carbohydrates.

Usage

This phrasal verb is neutral and works in both spoken and written English. It usually means total elimination — if you only want to reduce something, use 'cut down on' instead.

2 cut out

suddenly stop working (an engine or machine)

B2

Sense 2: What does "cut out" mean?

This sense of 'cut out' describes the moment when an engine, motor, or machine abruptly stops functioning on its own — not because someone switches it off, but because something goes wrong internally. The defining quality is suddenness: the machine is running normally and then, without gradual warning, it stops. This makes it distinct from a slow deterioration or a general breakdown. It is particularly common in automotive and technical contexts, such as a car engine cutting out at a junction or a boiler cutting out on a cold night. The pattern 'keeps cutting out' is especially useful for describing a recurring or intermittent fault that a mechanic or engineer hasn't yet resolved.

Examples

How to use it

subject (machine/engine) + cut out

This is the core intransitive pattern — the machine or device is always the subject, and no object follows.

The engine cut out without warning as we were pulling onto the motorway.

subject + keep + cutting out

Use 'keeps cutting out' to describe a fault that happens repeatedly or intermittently, often in a frustrating or unresolved situation.

My boiler keeps cutting out in the middle of the night — I need to call someone to look at it.

subject + cut out + adverbial of place or time

An adverbial phrase is commonly added to describe when or where the sudden stoppage happened.

The generator cut out halfway through the outdoor concert, plunging the stage into darkness.

subject + cut out + in the middle of + noun/gerund

This pattern emphasises that the stoppage occurred at an especially inconvenient or disruptive moment.

The signal cut out in the middle of the presentation, which was incredibly frustrating.

Common Collocations

engine cuts outmotor cuts outpower cuts outheating cuts outsignal cuts out

Common Mistakes

Confusing 'cut out' with 'break down'

'Break down' describes a general or prolonged mechanical failure, while 'cut out' specifically means a sudden, abrupt stop that is often temporary or intermittent. Use 'cut out' when the emphasis is on the unexpected, sharp nature of the stoppage.

✗ The car broke down suddenly at the traffic lights and then started again a minute later.
✓ The car cut out suddenly at the traffic lights and then started again a minute later.
Using a human subject

In this sense, only a machine, engine, or device can be the subject of 'cut out'. If a person is the subject, the meaning shifts to a completely different sense (e.g. quitting a habit).

✗ He cut out during the race because of a technical problem.
✓ His car cut out during the race because of a technical problem.
Trying to add an object

This sense of 'cut out' is intransitive — it cannot take an object. The machine itself is always the subject performing (or rather, ceasing) the action.

✗ The fault cut out the engine on the motorway.
✓ The engine cut out on the motorway.

Usage

This phrasal verb is neutral in register and works in both spoken and written English. It is especially common in automotive and technical contexts, and is often used with 'keep + -ing' to describe a recurring fault: 'My car keeps cutting out at traffic lights.'

3 cut sth out

cut a shape or piece from paper or cloth

A2

Sense 3: What does "cut sth out" mean?

This phrasal verb describes the action of cutting around the edges of a shape or piece to remove it from a larger material. The key idea is that you are following an outline — a border, a shape, or a printed edge — to free a specific form. For example, you might use scissors to cut out a picture from a magazine, or use a cookie cutter shape to cut out pastry. This is different from simply cutting through something in one straight line. You will often see it used in craft activities, cooking, sewing, and classroom projects.

Examples

How to use it

cut out + object

The most common pattern, used when the object is a longer noun phrase and follows the particle.

The teacher asked the students to cut out a star shape from the coloured paper.

cut + object + out

When the object is a short noun phrase, it is very natural to place it between the verb and the particle.

She found a great recipe and cut the article out to keep it.

cut + pronoun + out

When you use a pronoun, it must always go between the verb and the particle.

He saw the coupon in the newspaper and cut it out straight away.

object + be + cut out

The passive is natural, especially when describing something that has already been prepared.

The paper letters were cut out and stuck onto the classroom wall.

Common Collocations

cut out a shapecut out a picturecut out a couponcut out a patterncut out letterscut out a piece

Common Mistakes

Confusing 'cut out' with 'cut off'

Use 'cut out' when you are cutting around a shape to extract it (e.g. using scissors to follow an outline). Use 'cut off' when you are severing a part with one straight cut (e.g. removing a branch from a tree).

✗ She cut off the star shape from the cardboard.
✓ She cut out the star shape from the cardboard.
Pronoun placed after the particle

When the object is a pronoun, it must go between 'cut' and 'out'. Placing it after 'out' is not correct in English.

✗ I found a nice picture and cut out it.
✓ I found a nice picture and cut it out.
Using 'cut out' without an object

In this sense — removing a shape by cutting — you always need to say what you are cutting out. The verb cannot be used alone here the way it can in other meanings.

✗ She took the scissors and cut out.
✓ She took the scissors and cut out a circle.

Usage

This phrasal verb is neutral and works in all everyday contexts — crafts, cooking, sewing, and classroom activities. Be aware that 'Cut it out!' as an exclamation almost always means 'Stop that!' in spoken English, not the physical cutting action.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does 'cut out' always mean stopping completely, or can it mean just reducing something?

It always implies total elimination. If you've cut out something, you've stopped it entirely — none at all. If you want to say you're having less of something but haven't stopped completely, use 'cut down on' instead.

I've heard 'Cut it out!' used as something you shout at someone to make them stop. Is that the same meaning?

No — that's a completely separate fixed expression. 'Cut it out!' as a command meaning 'stop that behaviour right now' is an idiom unrelated to the diet and lifestyle sense. The two happen to look the same but mean very different things.

Can 'cut out' be used in the passive, like 'sugar was cut out by her'?

Technically it's possible, but it sounds very unnatural. In practice, people almost always use the active form because cutting something out is a personal, deliberate choice — you'd say 'she cut out sugar', not 'sugar was cut out by her'.

Can I use 'cut out' for habits and behaviours, or only food and drink?

You can use it for habits and behaviours too, such as cutting out screen time, unnecessary spending, or negativity in your life. The key is that the object is something you choose to eliminate from your routine — it doesn't have to be something you eat or drink.

What kinds of things typically follow 'cut out' as objects?

Most commonly, the objects are foods and drinks (sugar, caffeine, alcohol, dairy, gluten, processed food) or habitual behaviours (snacking, smoking, unnecessary spending). The thing being cut out is almost always something you regularly consume or do — not a physical object you would cut with scissors.

Does 'cut out' always refer to machines and engines, or can I use it for other things?

In this sense, yes — the subject is almost always a mechanical or electronic device: an engine, motor, boiler, generator, signal, or similar. If you use a different kind of subject, it likely signals one of the other senses of 'cut out', which have quite different meanings.

What's the difference between 'cut out' and 'cut off' when talking about power or signals?

'Cut out' suggests the device or signal stopped on its own, usually due to a fault. 'Cut off' tends to imply that an external force or agent caused the disconnection — for example, a supplier cutting off your electricity. So 'the power cut out' feels like a malfunction, while 'the power was cut off' suggests someone or something intervened.

Can I use 'cut out' to describe a one-time event, or is it only for repeated problems?

Both are perfectly natural. 'The engine cut out on the motorway' describes a single incident, while 'the engine keeps cutting out' describes a recurring fault. The phrasal verb works equally well in both situations — you just adjust the tense and surrounding words.

Is there a difference between saying 'the engine cut out' and 'the engine suddenly cut out'?

'Cut out' already carries the idea of suddenness, so adding 'suddenly' is not strictly necessary. However, you can include it for extra emphasis, particularly in spoken English. Both versions are natural and correct.

Does 'cut out' always mean this physical cutting action?

No — 'cut out' has other meanings in English, such as stopping a habit or a machine stopping suddenly. However, a separate section on this page covers those. When you see a physical object like a shape, picture, or coupon, it almost always means the cutting action.

Can I say 'Cut it out!' if I want someone to stop cutting?

Be careful here! In everyday spoken English, 'Cut it out!' almost always means 'Stop that!' — it is used to tell someone to stop an annoying behaviour. If you want to give an instruction about cutting a shape, it is clearer to say something like 'Cut out the shape' or 'Cut the pieces out'.

What kinds of things can you 'cut out'?

You typically cut out shapes, pictures, patterns, coupons, letters, articles, and similar items from materials like paper, cardboard, fabric, or pastry. The key idea is that you are following an edge or outline to remove a specific piece.

Can 'cut out' be used in the passive?

Yes, the passive is very natural with this sense. You might say 'The shapes were cut out before class' or 'The fabric pieces had already been cut out'. It is often used this way in instructions or when describing something that was prepared in advance.

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