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.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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
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
-
The moment came in the 73rd minute with a goal from Mauricio to cut the US advantage to 3-1.—
Jacob Lev,
CNN Money,
13 June 2026
-
Simpson robbed Adell of a homer in the eighth to keep the Rays within two, and Aranda cut it to 4-3 with a two-out single off Farris before Zeferjahn finished.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 June 2026
Verb
-
The platform also allows users to translate their podcasts into more than 30 languages, using a cloned version of the Rebel user’s voice, and to immediately clip portions of their podcast.—
Corbin Bolies,
Variety,
12 June 2026
-
Incidents of planes clipping each other's wings on the ground are not uncommon.—
Christopher Edwards,
PEOPLE,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
Mark Zuckerberg and Barack Obama, for example, both became known for paring down everyday decisions—famously, their wardrobes—to conserve mental energy for the calls that matter.—
Sydney Lake,
Fortune,
8 June 2026
-
Vasos told analysts Tuesday that many of Dollar General’s core shoppers, who have mid-to-low incomes and live in rural areas, were paring back their food spending.—
Anne D’Innocenzio,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
On May 2, 2024, an undercover agent with the Illinois State Police (ISP) dropped the package off on Vishnevski's front porch and watched as Vishnevski retrieved the package and brought it inside, according to court filings.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
13 June 2026
-
Dassault’s Mirage fighter – and more recently the Rafale – can creep into enemy airspace, dogfight, drop bombs and launch cruise missiles.—
Joseph Ataman,
CNN Money,
13 June 2026
Verb
-
The trip is Xi's first overseas visit this year as the Chinese leader curtailed his international travels after the pandemic and hosted incoming leaders in Beijing instead.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
8 June 2026
-
Many automakers have curtailed their electric ambitions that fell well short of expectations as consumers resisted paying steep prices.—
Bloomberg,
Oc Register,
8 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Whittle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whittle. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
