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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Recent Examples of whittle
After much discussion, the council whittled that list down to three options before asking staffers to conduct more research before the council decides whether to put those choices to voters.
—
Victoria Le, Oc Register, 13 May 2026
Crystal Palace, Leeds United and Nottingham Forest have all made their excuses and left the fight for Premier League survival, whittling it down to just two potential candidates to join Burnley and Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Championship next season.
—Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 12 May 2026
But the 30 or so deaths earlier this year due to bird flu has whittled the number of swans down to about 44, a city official said.
—Ryan Gillespie, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 May 2026
His work as an accountant had spared him the sun marks and whittled skin that Mother carried.
—Literary Hub, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for whittle
Victoria Le, Oc Register, 13 May 2026
Crystal Palace, Leeds United and Nottingham Forest have all made their excuses and left the fight for Premier League survival, whittling it down to just two potential candidates to join Burnley and Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Championship next season.
—Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 12 May 2026
But the 30 or so deaths earlier this year due to bird flu has whittled the number of swans down to about 44, a city official said.
—Ryan Gillespie, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 May 2026
His work as an accountant had spared him the sun marks and whittled skin that Mother carried.
—Literary Hub, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for whittle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whittle
Verb
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The shortstop also rocketed a 441-foot, two-run home run off Giants right-hander Keaton Winn in the eighth to cut San Francisco’s lead to 4-3.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
30 May 2026
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Based on 2026 opening day figures, eight teams would have to cut payroll to get under the cap.—
Ronald Blum,
Fortune,
29 May 2026
Verb
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The cyclist swerved to avoid the door but still clipped it and was thrown to the street, sources said.—
Tess Kenny,
Chicago Tribune,
6 June 2026
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Dull blades, by contrast, tear the grass blades and make a mess of clipping distribution.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
6 June 2026
Verb
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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
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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
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Rays speedster Chandler Simpson dropped down a bunt and rushed the Angels into an error.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
30 May 2026
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However, the anticipated state finals clash was not to be as Calabasas dropped the baton in the Southern Section finals and failed to advance.—
Steve Galluzzo,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
Verb
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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
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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 11 Jun. 2026.
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