whittle down
verb
whittled down; whittling down; whittles down
: to gradually make (something) smaller by removing parts
We whittled the list down to four people.
Examples of whittle down in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
If progressive Democrat Analilia Mejia is victorious in the largely blue-leaning district, Speaker Mike Johnson will see that advantage whittled down once again.
—
Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 16 Apr. 2026
The Florida Panthers understand the conversation surrounding their team as a lost season whittles down to its final days.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 14 Apr. 2026
The Patriots Hall of Fame Committee recently met to whittle down its list of candidates three.
—Matt Schooley, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026
Last week, it was revealed that these bids to host the fest from 2027 have been whittled down to Greater Manchester, Newcastle, or the third option of remaining in Edinburgh.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for whittle down
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Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 16 Apr. 2026
The Florida Panthers understand the conversation surrounding their team as a lost season whittles down to its final days.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 14 Apr. 2026
The Patriots Hall of Fame Committee recently met to whittle down its list of candidates three.
—Matt Schooley, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026
Last week, it was revealed that these bids to host the fest from 2027 have been whittled down to Greater Manchester, Newcastle, or the third option of remaining in Edinburgh.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for whittle down
Cite this Entry
“Whittle down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whittle%20down. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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