as in grinding
to reduce to fine particles
a demonstration of how dried kernels of corn were milled in colonial times
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of milling
On Sunday morning, COTA’s paddock is buzzing with team staff, engineers, media personnel and even what appears to be a few Netflix cameramen, all milling about, the pre-race energy palpable.
—
Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 10 Feb. 2026
Another placed more tumbleweed in the path of the dozens of extras milling about.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 5 Feb. 2026
Suzuki was received as a celebrity by ex-Moonies milling around on the grass.
—E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
Dozens of people were milling about.
—Vanessa Romo, NPR, 14 Jan. 2026
More civilians were seen milling out on the streets of Caracas today.
—Michael Rios, CNN Money, 6 Jan. 2026
All those giant creatures milling about.
—Noah Lederman, Robb Report, 3 Jan. 2026
Broadcasters vamped with images of players milling around while their producers scrambled.
—Harvard Business Review, 1 Jan. 2026
Lawrence took a cue from Beckham shortly thereafter, milling about New York City, with her own black Kelly left undone.
—Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 20 Dec. 2025
Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 10 Feb. 2026
Another placed more tumbleweed in the path of the dozens of extras milling about.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 5 Feb. 2026
Suzuki was received as a celebrity by ex-Moonies milling around on the grass.
—E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
Dozens of people were milling about.
—Vanessa Romo, NPR, 14 Jan. 2026
More civilians were seen milling out on the streets of Caracas today.
—Michael Rios, CNN Money, 6 Jan. 2026
All those giant creatures milling about.
—Noah Lederman, Robb Report, 3 Jan. 2026
Broadcasters vamped with images of players milling around while their producers scrambled.
—Harvard Business Review, 1 Jan. 2026
Lawrence took a cue from Beckham shortly thereafter, milling about New York City, with her own black Kelly left undone.
—Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 20 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for milling
Verb
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Russia currently controls around 20% of Ukrainian land, but over almost four years of grinding war, those territorial gains are thought to have cost Russia over a million casualties.—
Holly Williams,
CBS News,
17 Feb. 2026
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This week, the optimism of spring has given way to the grinding reality of the sport, all before teams conducted their first workouts.—
Andy McCullough,
New York Times,
12 Feb. 2026
Verb
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On the northern end of California’s Central Coast, the region’s rolling hills and sunny beaches give way to misty bays and cypress groves, pounding turquoise surf and steep, plunging cliffs.—
Cu Fleshman,
Travel + Leisure,
17 Feb. 2026
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The cast of the heart-pounding story also features Stephen Tobolowsky, Frances Bay, and Peter Friedman.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Safeguarding athletes But what about junior- and novice-level skaters, including those not even teenagers yet, who may get to revel in the soaring highs of hearing a good score but must also suffer through the soul-crushing lows of hearing a poor one?—
Dave Skretta,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
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It was led by Yoshiko Noda, a staid veteran politician, who briefly served as an undistinguished prime minister in 2012 and led his party to a crushing defeat at the hands of Shinzo Abe and the LDP.—
Jeff Kingston,
Time,
15 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Milling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/milling. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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