: a lever used to turn the rudder of a boat from side to side
broadly
: a device or system that plays a part in steering something
tillered; tillering
ˈti-lə-riŋ 
ˈtil-riŋ
Examples of tiller in a Sentence
Noun (1)
in his paintings farmers are invariably depicted as brawny yet noble tillers of the land
Recent Examples on the Web
Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 25 June 2025
India emerges as an example of the downside of tiller reforms’ incrementalism.
—Michael Albertus, Foreign Affairs, 24 June 2025
Keith McCafferty, Field & Stream, 29 June 2023
Large crabgrass can spread rapidly by tillering or from sprouts at the base of the plant, which rapidly increases the width of the crabgrass clump.
—Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 30 July 2023
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Noun
Adams, meanwhile, may be fatally unpopular, damaged by both public corruption charges, dropped by President Donald Trump in what many Democrats saw as deeper corruption; and by a perception that his hand is not firmly on the tiller.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 25 June 2025
India emerges as an example of the downside of tiller reforms’ incrementalism.
—Michael Albertus, Foreign Affairs, 24 June 2025
Verb
Continue tillering until the bow can be drawn far enough to shoot an arrow half as long as the bow (with most woods, this will be a 35- to 55-pound pull).
—Keith McCafferty, Field & Stream, 29 June 2023
Large crabgrass can spread rapidly by tillering or from sprouts at the base of the plant, which rapidly increases the width of the crabgrass clump.
—Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 30 July 2023
See All Example Sentences for tiller
Cite this Entry
“Tiller.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tiller. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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