as in selecting
to decide to accept (someone or something) from a group of possibilities
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Recent Examples of culling
After all, there are 40,000 active podcasts, culling a top ten from that massive list is essentially needle meet haystack.
—
Frank Racioppi, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
Mandarin Oriental is culling a portfolio of Exceptional Homes, which, while not necessarily linked to hotels, are appointed with amenities expected of the luxury brand.
—Maya Kachroo-Levine, Travel + Leisure, 8 May 2026
The story has been decades in the making as the Colombian government tried multiple nonfatal methods of culling the hippo population, including neutering and relocating.
—Carlie Procell, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2026
The Legislature did start culling license plates, eliminating those that didn’t sell well.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 Apr. 2026
The Lake County Forest Preserves proposed culling deer to balance nature, and there was some controversy.
—Sheryl De Vore, Chicago Tribune, 14 Apr. 2026
The winners include heartbreaking images of an elephant culling in Zimbabwe, a massive apartment fire in Hong Kong, and the devastating aftermath of drone attacks in Ukraine.
—Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 9 Apr. 2026
Because not everyone on the island owns a rifle, men often work in groups to locate the animal that has been selected for culling.
—NPR, 4 Apr. 2026
The culling perfectly played into ongoing fears that AI automation is coming for white-collar jobs, a major job market and economic disruption that workers are becoming increasingly worried about — and which clearly has execs salivating.
—Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 5 Mar. 2026
Frank Racioppi, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
Mandarin Oriental is culling a portfolio of Exceptional Homes, which, while not necessarily linked to hotels, are appointed with amenities expected of the luxury brand.
—Maya Kachroo-Levine, Travel + Leisure, 8 May 2026
The story has been decades in the making as the Colombian government tried multiple nonfatal methods of culling the hippo population, including neutering and relocating.
—Carlie Procell, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2026
The Legislature did start culling license plates, eliminating those that didn’t sell well.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 Apr. 2026
The Lake County Forest Preserves proposed culling deer to balance nature, and there was some controversy.
—Sheryl De Vore, Chicago Tribune, 14 Apr. 2026
The winners include heartbreaking images of an elephant culling in Zimbabwe, a massive apartment fire in Hong Kong, and the devastating aftermath of drone attacks in Ukraine.
—Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 9 Apr. 2026
Because not everyone on the island owns a rifle, men often work in groups to locate the animal that has been selected for culling.
—NPR, 4 Apr. 2026
The culling perfectly played into ongoing fears that AI automation is coming for white-collar jobs, a major job market and economic disruption that workers are becoming increasingly worried about — and which clearly has execs salivating.
—Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 5 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for culling
Verb
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Look for resistant varieties when selecting tomato plants for the garden.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
29 May 2026
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Their tendency for selecting innovative fabrics and producing low quantities meant most consumers were priced out of wearing their designs—a mindset that Herrebrugh and Botter said was born from their formal training and has evolved with more experience.—
Angela Velasquez,
Footwear News,
28 May 2026
Verb
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When the fabric is right, your comfort is sure to follow — but choosing pieces that are also work-appropriate is trickier.—
Tanya Sharma,
PEOPLE,
29 May 2026
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The lack of clarity makes choosing a company potentially confusing for patients, and the medical profession is partly to blame, said Jamy Ard, an obesity doctor and researcher at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.—
Maia Rosenfeld,
NBC news,
29 May 2026
Verb
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The parliamentary election will decide the next government, with the winning party picking the prime minister.—
Nimi Princewill,
CNN Money,
31 May 2026
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There is not one set rule on picking a captain, especially for a World Cup.—
Michael Lewis,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Culling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/culling. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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