culling

verb

present participle of cull
as in selecting
to decide to accept (someone or something) from a group of possibilities culled the best short stories from the author's body of writings

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of culling Still, Martin and other experts emphasized that old books are thrown away—and subsequently destroyed—all the time, even for non-academic reasons, by libraries that are simply culling their collections. — Francesca Mancino, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2026 But with female crabs able to produce up to 8 million eggs every season, culling barely dented their numbers. — ABC News, 2 Sep. 2026 The agency has dealt with homeowners illegally culling trees to improve their views in the past, but those are dwarfed by the scale of these poisonings, Cowen said. — Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2026 That situation makes the roster culling an emotional topic for those whose list status has been questioned. — Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 21 July 2026 The country does currently have a shark culling program, but some are calling for the program’s expansion in light of recent attacks. — Devika Rao, TheWeek, 14 July 2026 So what else can be lost alongside the military culling diversity from its ranks? — Adam Harris, The Atlantic, 6 July 2026 Germany banned chick culling back in 2022, even before commercially viable in-ovo sexing machines existed. — Christine Ro, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026 Last year, CargoWise and E2Open parent WiseTech Global announced a nearly 30 percent culling of its staff through 2027, overtly tying the job cuts to its deployments of AI technologies. — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 11 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for culling
  1. selecting
  2. choosing
  3. picking
Verb
  • While the species can reach large tree height, selecting a smaller bush variety that produces blue-green fruits in fall is a plus for the garden.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Outside of selecting at the top of the draft for several more seasons, this organization doesn’t have many avenues to upgrade its roster and couldn’t afford to miss the opportunity to bet long and big on Buium.
    — Thomas Drance, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of selecting
Verb
  • Give that interest something concrete, such as researching a course, comparing destinations, or choosing a date.
    — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 7 Sep. 2026
  • In November, voters in 26 states will elect a secretary of state, choosing the officials who will oversee the 2028 presidential race throughout most of the country.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of choosing
Verb
  • The level of media attention could also make picking a second impartial jury more difficult, a factor that could influence Cruz's decision.
    — Rebecca Cohen, NBC news, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The wildcard should be about targeting the fixture swings and picking players with long-term potential, rather than chasing points already scored.
    — Abdul Rehman, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of picking

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Cite this Entry

“Culling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/culling. Accessed 13 Sep. 2026.

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