AAAmerican Accent US

cut through

Inseparable

The verb and particle never split. The object always follows the whole phrase.

How to say it

Stress the particle, not the verb: cut THROUGH. Saying “CUT through” is the clearest learner tell — the verb stays light and the particle carries the beat.

Do not release the /t/. Before the consonant of “through” the stop is held and swallowed rather than popped — the same unreleased-stop move as in hot dog. One smooth unit: “cut through”. Watch the TH in “through” — tongue tip between the teeth, voiceless. Swapping it for /t/ or /s/ is the usual slip.

2 meanings

  1. 1

    To take a shorter route across something.

    • “We cut through the park to save ten minutes.”

    Similar: shortcut

  2. 2

    To get past confusion or bureaucracy quickly.

    • “Her question cut through all the jargon.”

    Similar: penetrate

The particle logic

through

Something passes from one end of an obstacle to the other.

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More CUT phrasal verbs

Compare the whole family →

cut down

To reduce the amount of something.

cut down on

To consume less of something.

cut back

To reduce spending or activity.

cut off

To disconnect a supply or a service.

cut out

To remove a section by cutting.

cut in

To interrupt a conversation.

cut up

To cut something into many pieces.

cut through — meaning, examples & how to say it