cull

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verb \ ˈkəl \

Definition of cull

transitive verb

1 :to select from a group :choose

culled the best passages from the poet's work

Damaged fruits are culled before the produce is shipped.

2 :to reduce or control the size of (something, such as a herd) by removal (as by hunting) of especially weaker animals; also :to hunt or kill (animals) as a means of population control

The town issued hunting licenses in order to cull the deer population.

—

culler

noun

See cull defined for English-language learners

See cull defined for kids

Examples of cull in a Sentence

He culls his herd annually.
The town issued hunting licenses in order to cull the deer population.

Recent Examples of cull from the Web

For those planning to attend, here are various tips—culled from previous years with some new ones thrown in.

— jon wertheim, SI.com, "51 Insider Tips for Attending the U.S. Open," 21 Aug. 2017
At McConnell's urging, Trump released lists of more than 20 potential nominees, names that were culled by Trump's advisers from discussions with the Federalist Society, the conservative group focused on judicial matters that is close to McConnell.

— john wagner, chicagotribune.com, "Trump again attacks McConnell for failure on health-care reform," 10 Aug. 2017
Local authorities started trying to cull the birds in 2012.

— ed yong, The Atlantic, "The Worst Birds," 26 July 2017
The tougher part is figuring out which weddings to cull from your list.

— charlotte cowles, The Cut, "How to Survive Wedding Season When You’re Broke," 20 July 2017
And culling healthy fire salamanders around outbreaks, which might delay Bsal's spread, could face public objections.

— erik stokstad, Science | AAAS, "A fungus is attacking Europe’s most beloved salamander. It could wreak havoc if it gets to North America," 19 July 2017
Fredette and his fellow tastemakers begin by drawing up a list of 200 potential offerings, which are culled and refined until typically only three to five remain.

— laura entis, Fortune, "Ben & Jerry’s Flavor Maker: Get Ready for Kombucha-Inspired Ice Cream," 16 July 2017
CBO projected that the sweeping spending reductions on anti-poverty programs, housing, environmental protection, and a number of other initiatives that the White House wants to cull back would still not be enough to eliminate the deficit by 2027.

— ben estes, NOLA.com, "White House budget wouldn't eliminate deficit or do much to grow economy, CBO says," 13 July 2017
The university culled its alumni database to find and invite 2,641 alums ages 25 to 35 who were living in the Twin Cities; about 225 Blugolds showed up at the game.

— karen herzog, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Eau Claire is more than Eaux Claires: It's home to millennials," 1 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cull.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of cull

Middle English, from Anglo-French culier, coillir, from Latin colligere to bind together — more at collect

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 13th century

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cull Synonyms

Synonyms

cherry-pick, choose, elect, handpick, name, opt (for), pick, prefer, select, single (out), tag, take

Antonyms

decline, refuse, reject, turn down

Related Words

preselect; appoint, designate, fix, mark, nominate, set, tab, tap; accept, adopt, embrace, espouse; settle (on or upon)

Near Antonyms

disapprove, negative, repudiate, spurn; discard, jettison, throw away, throw out

cull

noun

Definition of cull

:something rejected especially as being inferior or worthless

… how to separate good-looking pecans from culls.
—The Washington Post

Examples of cull in a Sentence

the unbruised apples will be packed in bags, and the culls will be used for cider

Recent Examples of cull from the Web

The country has experimented with a range of measures to reduce attacks, including culls, shark-detecting sonar and electromagnetic devices to repel the animals.

— austin ramzy, New York Times, "Shark Leaps Into Fisherman’s Boat in Australia," 29 May 2017
Pilots, cabin crew and other frontline staff will be spared from the cull, according to Cathay, which employs around 30,000 people.

— joseph hincks, Fortune, "Cathay Pacific Is Cutting 600 Jobs in Its Largest Restructuring in Decades," 21 May 2017
A Peking duck appetizer ($15) culls inspiration from classic Chinese cooking, jazzed up with French flair.

— james patrick kelly, idahostatesman, "Angell’s-Renato restaurant finds its groove with return of chef," 27 Apr. 2017
Between 1995 and 2012, wolves in Michigan and Wisconsin experienced six periods of legal culls and six stages of protection, making these states ripe for testing.

— National Geographic, "When the Government Kills Wolves, the Public May Follow Suit," 11 May 2016

Origin and Etymology of cull

see ¹cull

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1809

See Words from the same year

cull Synonyms

Synonyms

discard, reject, rejection, second

Related Words

castaway, throwaway; hand-me-down, white elephant; rubbish, scrap, trash, waste

CULL Defined for English Language Learners

cull

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verb

Definition of cull for English Language Learners

: to select or choose (someone or something) from a group
: to control the size of (a group of animals) by killing some animals

CULL Defined for Kids

cull

play

verb \ ˈkəl \

Definition of cull for Students

culled; culling

1 :to select from a group

The best poems were culled from her collection.

2 :to identify and remove less desirable members from

cull sheep from a flock

cull

noun

Definition of cull for Students

:something rejected from a group because it is not as good as the rest

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cull

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Definition of cull for English Language Learners

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Definition of cull for Students

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