cull

1 of 2

verb

culled; culling; culls

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 or slaughter) of especially weak or sick individuals
The town issued hunting licenses in order to cull the deer population.
culling a herd of cattle
also : to hunt or kill (individuals) for culling
culling diseased cows
culled hundreds of deer
culler noun

cull

2 of 2

noun

: 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

Verb He culls his herd annually. The town issued hunting licenses in order to cull the deer population. Noun the unbruised apples will be packed in bags, and the culls will be used for cider
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
What Biden did: Chickens are culled to stop bird flu’s spread and protect nearby farms, the poultry industry and public health. Amy Sherman, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025 That has an economic impact since immobile cows are culled: Canning points to U.K. data suggesting cattle lameness results in £142 million ($190 million) of losses there. Chris Stokel-Walker, Fortune, 26 June 2025
Noun
Along with the headline-grabbing job culls in the federal government which began earlier this year, a throng of companies have already laid off workers so far in 2025, including Microsoft, UPS, Dell, BP and others. Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 July 2025 The film raked in what would today equal nearly $2.7 billion and left a legacy of fear that fueled shark culls, trophy hunts, and policies rooted more in panic than science. Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 16 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for cull

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

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

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1809, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cull was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cull.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cull. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

cull

1 of 2 verb
1
: to select from a group : choose
2
: to reduce or control the size of (as a herd) by removal of usually weaker animals
a hunt to cull the growing deer population
culler noun

cull

2 of 2 noun
: something rejected from a group or lot as being not as good as the rest

More from Merriam-Webster on cull

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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