cut back on — reduce
phrasal verbB1IELTS 5+neutralcommon
To use or do less of something, especially to save money or improve health.
Say it like a native
Textbook We need to decrease our expenditure on non-essential items.
Native We need to cut back on the extras.
'Cut back on' is everyday budget talk; 'decrease expenditure on non-essential items' is an accountant's report.
Pattern: cut back on + noun/gerund
In use
- I'm trying to cut back on sugar because it's better for my health.daily life
- To save money, many people have to cut back on unnecessary expenses, such as eating out or buying new clothes.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ We're trying to cut back our spending on.
✓ We're trying to cut back on our spending.
Word order: 'cut back ON [something]'.
Common collocations
cut back on + spending/intake— spending, sugar, hours, costs
Don't confuse it
'Cut back on' is about reducing, not completely stopping. For stopping, use 'give up' or 'quit.'