price-cut: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2-C1Business/Commercial, News/Media, Semi-Formal to Formal.
Quick answer
What does “price-cut” mean?
A reduction in the cost of something, especially a deliberate business action.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A reduction in the cost of something, especially a deliberate business action.
Can refer to a strategic business move to boost sales, a concession in negotiations, or a general lowering of monetary value. Implies an intentional act by a seller or provider.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is very similar. 'Price cut' is standard in both. Americans may be slightly more likely to use 'price reduction' in formal corporate contexts, while Brits may use 'price slash' more informally in tabloid headlines.
Connotations
In UK media, it can sometimes carry a slightly more sensationalist tone in headlines. In US business writing, it often explicitly links to corporate strategy and shareholder reports.
Frequency
Comparably frequent in both varieties. High frequency in financial news sections.
Grammar
How to Use “price-cut” in a Sentence
The company [verb] a price-cut (on/in) [product].A price-cut [verb] [effect].[Agent] announced price-cuts for/of [product range].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “price-cut” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The supermarket is cutting prices on over 500 items.
- They've been forced to price-cut aggressively.
American English
- The retailer cut prices on all summer inventory.
- The company decided to price-cut to stay competitive.
adjective
British English
- The price-cut goods flew off the shelves.
- They launched a price-cut campaign.
American English
- The price-cut items are in aisle three.
- A price-cut strategy was implemented.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
The board approved a 10% price-cut across the entire product line to regain market share.
Academic
The study analysed consumer responsiveness to successive price-cuts in the telecommunications sector.
Everyday
I'm waiting for a price-cut on that new laptop before I buy it.
Technical
The algorithmic repricing tool triggered an automatic price-cut in response to a competitor's move.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “price-cut”
- Using it as a verb without the hyphen (e.g., 'They will price cut' is incorrect; use 'They will cut prices').
- Confusing 'price-cut' (noun) with 'cut-price' (adjective, e.g., 'cut-price goods').
- Over-hyphenating: 'price-cut' is standard as a hyphenated noun, but 'price cutting' (as a gerund) is often two words.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
As a noun, it is almost always hyphenated: 'price-cut'. As a verb phrase, it is two words: 'cut prices'. The gerund/noun form can be 'price cutting' (two words).
A 'price-cut' is typically a specific, often permanent or strategic reduction in the listed price of an item or service. A 'sale' is a broader promotional event where many items may be temporarily discounted.
Yes, but it is less common and slightly informal/jargonistic (e.g., 'They price-cut aggressively'). The more standard verb form is the phrasal verb 'to cut prices'.
It is standard in business and news contexts, making it semi-formal to formal. It is less common in casual everyday speech, where 'discount' or 'price drop' might be used instead.
A reduction in the cost of something, especially a deliberate business action.
Price-cut: in British English it is pronounced /ˈpraɪs kʌt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈpraɪs kʌt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “To take a knife to prices”
- “To cut prices to the bone”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a pair of scissors cutting the price tag in half.
Conceptual Metaphor
COMMERCE IS WAR (e.g., 'a price war', 'slashing prices'), COMMODITIES ARE FLUIDS (e.g., 'falling prices'). A price-cut is an aggressive, surgical action.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the LEAST likely context for the term 'price-cut'?