cut
/ˈkət/
remove words, sentences, or sections that don't contribute
cut in a sentence
“When in doubt, cut it out.”
Origin of cut
Old English cyttan (to make an incision)
Related Words
line edit
editing at the sentence level for clarity and style
developmental edit
editing for structure, argument, and overall organization
kill your darlings
be willing to cut even your favorite passages if they don't serve the work
show, don't tell
convey through concrete detail rather than abstract statement
read aloud
testing prose by speaking it to catch awkward rhythms
tighten
remove unnecessary words while preserving meaning