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
The issue became a flashpoint for the Justice Department in March, when Pardon Attorney Liz Oyer refused to add Gibson to a pilot program that had whittled a list of 95 non-violent offenders down to nine who had passed rigorous FBI background checks.
—
Nick Penzenstadler, USA Today, 1 May 2025
As was later revealed by the hosts, the voters had a really hard time whittling 10 semifinalists to five finalists (out of 17 contestants).
—Steve Buckley, New York Times, 12 May 2025
The list of candidates gets whittled pretty far down and then a blue ribbon committee votes on a finalist to move to the full Pro Football Hall of Fame induction committee.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 7 May 2025
The university's Board of Trustees whittled the pool to four finalists, N.C.
—Lucille Sherman, Axios, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for whittle
Nick Penzenstadler, USA Today, 1 May 2025
As was later revealed by the hosts, the voters had a really hard time whittling 10 semifinalists to five finalists (out of 17 contestants).
—Steve Buckley, New York Times, 12 May 2025
The list of candidates gets whittled pretty far down and then a blue ribbon committee votes on a finalist to move to the full Pro Football Hall of Fame induction committee.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 7 May 2025
The university's Board of Trustees whittled the pool to four finalists, N.C.
—Lucille Sherman, Axios, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for whittle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whittle
Verb
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White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters at Tuesday’s briefing that Vought would continue to cut spending, hinting that there could be additional efforts to return funds.—
Josh Boak,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2025
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The end of Elon Musk’s time at the helm of the Department of Government Efficiency is the latest chapter in a long story: Republicans are better at cutting taxes than cutting spending.—
W. James Antle III,
The Washington Examiner,
3 June 2025
Verb
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Dorothy had her hair done, The Tinman got oiled up, The Scarecrow got brand new straws, and The Cowardly Lion had his mane curled and his claws clipped.—
Debbi Kickham,
Forbes.com,
29 May 2025
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Our top picks Runner-Up: SoulCycle At-Home Bike, $2,500 Shop the best exercise bikes Ready to clip in?—
Sara Coughlin,
SELF,
28 May 2025
Verb
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The professionalization of college athletics will be seen in the high-stakes and expensive recruitment of stars on their way to the NFL and NBA, and they will be felt by athletes whose schools have decided to pare their programs.—
Eddie Pells,
Baltimore Sun,
7 June 2025
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Tangent Tesla’s shares, which dropped 14% in one of the stock’s worst-ever trading sessions, appeared to pare back some losses Friday after jumping 3% in early trading.—
Ty Roush,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
Verb
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Prosecutors say Read backed into O’Keefe with her Lexus SUV in a drunken rage after dropping him off at the home for a house party and then left him to die outside during a historic blizzard.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
7 June 2025
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The Dodgers stacked the infield with five players, leaving left field open — and that’s where Arenado hit the ball, dropping it just inside the foul line to score Barrero.—
Kevin Baxter,
Los Angeles Times,
7 June 2025
Verb
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If Congress passes and Trump signs his huge tax cut bill, there may be a bump up in consumer and business spending but also rising deficits and debt, which will likely raise interest rates and curtail new investment.—
Harry Holzer,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
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Markets rallied, Wall Street banks curtailed their recession forecasts, and moribund USconsumer confidence rebounded significantly.—
Samantha Waldenberg,
CNN Money,
6 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Whittle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whittle. Accessed 14 Jun. 2025.
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