Cut Corners
Pedagogically reviewed by LexFizz Team
To do something in the easiest or cheapest way, often by ignoring rules or reducing quality.
Quick meaning: To “cut corners” means to save time, effort, or money by doing a job in a less thorough way than you should. It usually has a negative tone, suggesting that skipping the proper steps has lowered the quality or safety of the result.
Meaning
To cut corners means to complete a task using the quickest, easiest, or cheapest method available, usually by skipping necessary steps, ignoring rules, or lowering standards. The phrase almost always carries criticism: the person has saved resources, but the work suffers as a result.
It is very common in contexts involving safety, quality, and budgets. A builder who cuts corners might use cheaper materials than the plans require. A company that cuts corners on testing might release a faulty product. The implication is that what was saved in the short term may cause problems later.
Occasionally it can be neutral — simply finding a faster route — but in most uses there is a hint that something important has been sacrificed.
Origin
The idiom comes from driving and travel. When you turn a corner properly, you follow the full curve of the road or path. To cut the corner means to take a shortcut by going diagonally across it instead of following the proper route — saving a little distance and time, but doing so improperly and sometimes dangerously.
This literal image of taking a shortcut across the corner of a road, rather than following the correct path, was extended figuratively in the 19th century to any task done by a quicker, less proper method. The driver who cuts a corner saves time but risks an accident, just as a worker who cuts corners saves effort but risks a poor result. Figurative expressions of this kind are the sort of entry catalogued by major reference works such as the Cambridge Dictionary, which track how idiomatic meanings develop and spread.
The expression became firmly established in English by the late 1800s and remains very common today, especially in business and trade.
Example Sentences
The building collapsed because the contractor cut corners on the foundations.
We can’t afford to cut corners on safety, no matter how tight the budget is.
If you cut corners now to finish early, you’ll only have to redo the work later.
Dialogue Example
A: The kitchen renovation came in really cheap. How did they manage that?
B: They cut corners on the plumbing. That’s why we’ve already got a leak under the sink.
Usage Notes
This idiom is used in both British and American English and is suitable for both informal and semi-formal contexts, including business writing. It almost always carries a negative or critical tone. It is often paired with “on” to specify what was compromised: “cut corners on quality / safety / costs.”
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes write “cut the corners” or “cut a corner.” The standard idiomatic form uses the plural with no article: cut corners. Also, do not confuse it with “corner someone,” which means to trap a person, or with the neutral “turn the corner,” which means to start to improve.
Related Idioms
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Quick Check: Cut Corners
2 questions — test what you just learned.
1. What does “Cut Corners” mean?
2. Complete the sentence: “The building collapsed because the contractor _____ on the foundations.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What does “cut corners” mean?
It means to do something in the easiest or cheapest way, often by skipping necessary steps, ignoring rules, or reducing quality. It usually carries a negative tone.
How do you use “cut corners” in a sentence?
You can say “they cut corners on safety” or “don’t cut corners.” For example: “The builder cut corners on the foundations.”
Where does “cut corners” come from?
It comes from driving — taking a shortcut by cutting diagonally across the corner of a road instead of following the proper path. This was extended figuratively to any task done by a quicker, less proper method.
Is “cut corners” positive or negative?
It is almost always negative. It suggests that quality, safety, or thoroughness has been sacrificed to save time or money, often leading to problems later.
Is it “cut corners” or “cut the corners”?
The idiom uses the plural with no article: “cut corners.” “Cut the corner” sounds literal, as in driving across an actual road corner.
What preposition follows “cut corners”?
It is often followed by “on” to say what was compromised: “cut corners on safety,” “cut corners on costs,” or “cut corners on quality.”
Is this idiom used in American English?
Yes. It is used widely in both British and American English and is common in business, trade, and everyday speech.
What are some synonyms for “cut corners”?
Similar expressions include “take shortcuts,” “do a half-baked job,” “skimp on,” and “do something on the cheap.”
Can “cut corners” ever be neutral?
Occasionally it can simply mean finding a faster route, but in most uses it implies that something important has been sacrificed, so it is best treated as critical.
What English level is “cut corners” suitable for?
It is pitched at B1 (Intermediate) level. It is a common, useful idiom that intermediate learners can apply confidently in work and everyday contexts.