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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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 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 The group stage of the tournament (June 11-27) will whittle the field from 48 to 32 teams. — Suzanne Rowan Kelleher, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for whittle

Recent Examples of Synonyms for whittle

Verb

At the same time, the data shows, courts have severely cut the length of time many people are getting to prepare for complex immigration proceedings, from about six months to often just a little more than a month.

— ABC News, ABC News, 1 Aug. 2026
Using a paring knife, mark a smaller square inside each pastry square, leaving a 1/2 inch border (do not cut all the way through the dough).

— Torie Cox, Southern Living, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of cut

Verb

The Braves and Cubs usually are pro-active, too, while the Brewers and Rays often seek more prospects in favor of paring payroll and increasing future forecasts.

— Chuck Murr, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
Sparkling yet simple, Gerber’s dress eschewed 1980s high glam for a look that was pared back yet still glamorous enough to evoke the decade.

— Julia Teti, Footwear News, 28 July 2026

Definition of pare

Verb

That award upended 60 years of precedent in the city’s police discipline apparatus and severely curtailed the work of the Chicago Police Board, which, in the meantime, has continued to meet and decide a small sliver of cases.

— Sam Charles, Chicago Tribune, 3 Aug. 2026
But so, too, was the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which sharply curtailed the Democratic nominating fight.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 2 Aug. 2026

Definition of curtail

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 6 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of whittle

verb

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