Meaning & Origin

“Cut corners” means to save time or money by ignoring rules, skipping required steps, or reducing quality — usually with negative consequences. The image is literal: cutting across the corner of a path to shorten the route.

Pronunciation Guide

• cut — short “u,” like “cup.”
• corners — stress the first syllable: COR‑ners.
• Natural rhythm: CUT COR‑ners.

Usage & Sentence Examples

Use it to criticize shortcuts that reduce safety, quality, or compliance.

• The builder cut corners on materials, and the wall cracked.
• Don’t cut corners on testing — bugs will reach production.
• We could ship faster, but only if we cut corners on documentation.
• Auditors found evidence that the team cut corners last quarter.
• They tried to cut corners with a quick fix, which backfired.
• Our policy is clear: never cut corners on data privacy.

Synonyms

take shortcuts · skimp · do a rush job · scrape by · cut costs recklessly · bypass procedure