Synonyms of cull

cull 1 of 2

noun

as in discard

something separated from a group or lot for not being as good as the others

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• discard
• second
• reject
• rejection
• rubbish
• trash
• waste
• scrap
• castaway
• throwaway
• white elephant
• hand-me-down

cull

2 of 2

verb

ˈkəl 

as in to select

to decide to accept (someone or something) from a group of possibilities

culled the best short stories from the author's body of writings

Synonyms & Similar Words

• select
• choose
• pick
• take
• elect
• prefer
• name
• tag
• designate
• handpick
• cherry-pick
• single (out)
• opt (for)
• nominate
• adopt
• appoint
• accept
• tap
• set
• preselect
• mark
• embrace
• tab
• espouse
• settle (on or upon)
• fix

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• refuse
• reject
• decline
• turn down
• negative
• disapprove
• discard
• repudiate
• throw away
• spurn
• throw out
• jettison

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of cull

Noun

It’s been a particularly tough 12 months for The Bachelor franchise, which paused last year’s The Bachelorette and saw two of its top showrunners leave after a major production cull. —Peter White, Deadline, 20 Mar. 2026

The goal is to cull overpopulation. —Elle Meyers, CBS News, 2 Mar. 2026

Verb

Ahead, see the five products—culled from drugstore aisles, French pharmacies, and prestige labels alike—that medical pros and Vogue editors always keep within reach. —Jenny Berg, Vogue, 1 June 2026

Present-day Apocalypse is constantly trying to cull the herd of the weak so that only the strong survive. —Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 27 May 2026