whittle

verb

Definition of whittlenext
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 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 The market is trying to recover, but elite collectors seemingly want only trophy works; raging global conflicts, economic uncertainty, and political turmoil have whittled demand down to the safest names. — George Nelson, ARTnews.com, 24 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for whittle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whittle
  1. cut
  2. clip
  3. pare
  4. drop
  5. curtail
Verb
  • Inspectors observed cutting boards with cut marks and no longer cleanable in the first-floor kitchen.
    — David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Ellison has taken an opposing view from his predecessors who confronted crumbling industry economics by cutting expenditures to boost their corporate bottom lines.
    — Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of cut
Verb
  • Ohtani clipped Drake Baldwin’s mitt with his bat and was awarded first base for catcher’s interference.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Gen Z Wants to Go Ghost, Not Girlboss That said, the characters do have to be worth clipping, and love him or hate him, Ryan Murphy has always had a knack for creating fictional people who feel bigger than whatever nonsensical story spawned them.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of clip
Verb
  • Related Stories Skydance has a tight runway through the end of 2029 to significantly pare down the long-term debt on the company’s books.
    — Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Since their debut in 1986, American Girl has shrunk their historical line significantly–including paring down the traditional six-book set for each historical character into two streamlined texts.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of pare
Verb
  • Amtrak offers a stop outside the State Fair each fall, and this year the train service will drop people off there five times a day, rather than four times as in previous years.
    — Eva Flowe October 9, Charlotte Observer, 9 Oct. 2026
  • This album is not afraid of its own agonizing lows or tethered to a toe-tapping dance-pop initiative; reveling in this ever-molting freedom, Sivan drops what is easily his finest collection of songs to date.
    — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of drop
Verb
  • Because diesel, gasoline, and jet fuel are co produced during the refining process, capping diesel exports could trigger storage bottlenecks and force refiners to curtail overall processing runs.
    — , CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Unseasonal weather that curtails feasting on the scrumptious sushi served on the roof terrace from May to October.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of curtail

Browse Nearby Words

whits
whittle
whittled
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Whittle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whittle. Accessed 11 Oct. 2026.

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