whittle

verb

Definition of whittlenext
as in to cut
to cause to diminish gradually by or as if by cutting off bits with a knife He was sitting on the porch, whittling a stick.

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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 whittle The market is trying to recover, but elite collectors seemingly want only trophy works; raging global conflicts, economic uncertainty, and political turmoil have whittled demand down to the safest names. — George Nelson, ARTnews.com, 24 June 2026 Next, your votes whittled the field of contenders to the Top 10 picks, then down to the Top 5 and Top 2. — Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 17 June 2026 New York was down by as much as 16 points in Game 5 before slowly whittling the Spurs’ lead away. — Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 14 June 2026 The authors disagreed with that earlier assessment, concluding that the bone marks were more consistent with whittling using a sharp implement. — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 11 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for whittle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whittle
  1. cut
  2. clip
  3. pare
  4. drop
  5. curtail
Verb
  • Low-flow plumbing fixtures and water-saving showerheads cut water consumption, and LED lighting and energy-efficient appliances lower overall energy use.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Humanitarian aid to Afghanistan – which is needed by approximately 45% of the population – has been dramatically cut by international donors since the Taliban returned to power, with women and girls bearing the brunt of those cuts.
    — Kara Fox, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of cut
Verb
  • Besides, there are tree branches to bundle, coupons to clip, guacamole to toss out, incredulous news reports to run through Snopes and at least 20 spam texts to block.
    — Donna Vickroy, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Murcko has been tapped to steer the company’s global revenue organization, overseeing brand partnerships, direct media sales, podcast sales, clipping and other brand and sponsorship activities.
    — William Earl, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of clip
Verb
  • Laresca and Goglia, with ties to local cocktail bars Blue Collar, Cold Shoulder and more, chose to pare down the beverage program.
    — Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Bluey family costumes Bluey, Bingo, Bandit, and Chilli make an instantly recognizable choice for a family of four, while smaller families can easily pare down the group.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of pare
Verb
  • The Mariners have dropped four of their last five and trail the final AL wild-card spot by 3 1/2 games.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 9 Aug. 2026
  • The loss dropped Orlando to 2-5 since returning to action from the league’s summer break.
    — Kyle Foley, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of drop
Verb
  • The United States should expect Beijing to continue to wield its agriculture sector for geopolitical influence, whether through curtailing imports of food, restricting exports of select commodities, or both.
    — Caitlin Welsh, Foreign Affairs, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Several Georgia counties and cities have curtailed data center projects in the face of backlash, including Atlanta.
    — AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of curtail

Browse Nearby Words

whits
whittle
whittled
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Whittle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whittle. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of whittle for Spanish Speakers

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