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
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Recent Examples of whittle
Leaders have reinforced that narrative by whittling their workforces in the name of AI.
—
Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 1 June 2026
Specifically, retinol smooths fine lines, lessens wrinkle depth, and whittles the appearance of large pores.
—Sophie Wirt, InStyle, 29 May 2026
In a normal year, casting director Jesse Tannenbaum and his team sift through 25,000 applications, per Backstage, whittling them down to just 18 players per season.
—Charlotte Walsh, PEOPLE, 20 May 2026
While previous seasons of South Park have comprised between 10 to 15 episodes, and sometimes more, in recent years, Parker and Stone have whittled the number down to about five or six.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 19 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for whittle
Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 1 June 2026
Specifically, retinol smooths fine lines, lessens wrinkle depth, and whittles the appearance of large pores.
—Sophie Wirt, InStyle, 29 May 2026
In a normal year, casting director Jesse Tannenbaum and his team sift through 25,000 applications, per Backstage, whittling them down to just 18 players per season.
—Charlotte Walsh, PEOPLE, 20 May 2026
While previous seasons of South Park have comprised between 10 to 15 episodes, and sometimes more, in recent years, Parker and Stone have whittled the number down to about five or six.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 19 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for whittle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whittle
Verb
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The current unrest first erupted in May after Paz cut long-standing fuel subsidies to shrink the deficit.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
20 June 2026
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Some analysts expect Apple could benefit as manufacturers of Android devices cut specs or raise prices.—
Kif Leswing,
CNBC,
19 June 2026
Verb
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Pinch-hitter Jose Tabata fouled off a pair of 2-2 pitches before Scherzer clipped him on the elbow with a breaking ball.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
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At least some of Mahajan's family managed to jump out safely, but Mahajan was still inside when the carriage clipped another horse carriage and overturned.—
Katie Houlis,
CBS News,
20 June 2026
Verb
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Of course, when an outfit is pared back, accessories are even more important.—
Christina Holevas,
Vogue,
23 June 2026
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On Monday, the 2-year yield touched its highest level since February 2025 before paring losses slightly.—
Sean Conlon,Joseph Wilkins,
CNBC,
23 June 2026
Verb
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The water-dropping helicopters returned during Friday's flare-up.—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
20 June 2026
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The song became a viral hit for Sexyy Red and a few months after its January release, Nicki Minaj dropped a remix.—
Caché McClay,
USA Today,
19 June 2026
Verb
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In Italy, the health ministry issued its highest level alert for 15 cities and authorities took measures to curtail work.—
Sudip Kar-Gupta,
USA Today,
23 June 2026
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Developing countries in southeast Asia, and emerging markets like India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, are having their LNG supplies curtailed by the Iran war.—
Ian Dexter Palmer,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Whittle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whittle. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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