cut and reduce share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. cut means “separate with or as if with an instrument”. reduce means “cut down on; make a reduction in”. cut is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈkʌt/
1.v.separate with or as if with an instrument
“Cut the rope”
2.v.cut down on; make a reduction in
“reduce your daily fat intake”
3.v.turn sharply; change direction abruptly
“The car cut to the left at the intersection”
/ɹəˈdus/
1.v.cut down on; make a reduction in
“reduce your daily fat intake”
2.v.make less complex
“reduce a problem to a single question”
3.v.bring to humbler or weaker state or condition
“He reduced the population to slavery”
| cut | reduce | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈkʌt/ | /ɹəˈdus/ |
| Said | kuht | ruh-DOOS |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| Letters | 3 | 6 |
| Parts of speech | verb, noun, adjective | verb |
| Senses | 70 | 20 |
| How common | Core | Common |
| Synonyms | none recorded | cut down, cut back, trim |
Full entry for cut · Full entry for reduce · More comparisons