WHITTLE Synonyms: 68 Similar and Opposite Words

whittle

verb

Definition of whittle

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 Those closures whittled the company's footprint down to about 70 locations in Arizona and Nevada, which will be permanently shuttered on Wednesday. — Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 5 Aug. 2026 As the drugs whittle waistlines, their impact is rippling beyond the bathroom scale and into a surprisingly wide swath of American life. — Elyse Moody, Architectural Digest, 27 July 2026 This man is whittling a star for the tree and standing up for eldest daughters everywhere? — Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 11 July 2026 The Los Angeles mayor is a nonpartisan position, meaning the June 2 primary was not separated by party and simply whittled the pool down to the top two candidates. — Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 8 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for whittle

Recent Examples of Synonyms for whittle

Verb

The defense once again gave the offense an opportunity, forcing an Argyle punt, and this time, Heritage capitalized with a 2-yard rushing TD from Vargas to cut the lead to 7 points.

— Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Oct. 2026
Later that month, Achilles, a university lecturer, cut a campaign ad in the spirit of a tongue-in-cheek corporate training video on how to avoid starting a foreign war.

— Sarah Cutler, Idaho Statesman, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of cut

Verb

Their participation builds your credibility by association and recordings can be clipped into social content that extends your reach, especially when guests share it too.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026
TikTok hosts similar footage, albeit clipped for vertical video and treated with title cards.

— Ben Travers, IndieWire, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of clip

Verb

Conservative lawyer Michael Edney cast the move in a long line of other attempts to pare back statutes from that era.

— Carrie Johnson, NPR, 16 Oct. 2026
Featuring a sleek black column skirt and minimalist stilettos, the look, while pared-back, was far from boring thanks to a creamy sleeveless top with a voluminous feather-like hem.

— Bianca Betancourt, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of pare

Verb

New Jersey won its second straight to improve to 6-4-0, while the Ducks dropped their fifth in a row to fall to 4-6-0.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
Clouds mostly clear out over the weekend as Saturday high temperatures reach 59 in the afternoon and overnight lows drop to 37.

— Hali Smith October 23, Idaho Statesman, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of drop

Browse Nearby Words

whits

whittle

whittled

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“Whittle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whittle. Accessed 25 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of whittle

verb

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