as in 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 whittled
By Thursday afternoon, Democrats had whittled their list of amendments down to 15, according to a Senate source familiar with the state of play.
—
Alexander Bolton, The Hill, 18 Dec. 2025
More rules are set to be whittled further, such as the waste framework directive, which could see the repeal of the only database that contains information on chemicals of concern used in Europe.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 12 Dec. 2025
Ukrainian officials met with White House envoy Steve Witkoff and whittled the plan down.
—Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 10 Dec. 2025
The Horned Frogs saw a double-digit-point lead whittled to just four by intermission, thanks to the 3-point shooting of John Blackwell — who scored 30 points on Friday — and savvy playmaking by former San Diego State guard Nick Boyd.
—Kyle Kensing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Nov. 2025
My leg muscles wasted and my arms seemed whittled into bone.
—Tatiana Schlossberg, New Yorker, 22 Nov. 2025
According to the announcement, TDE Films whittled the pool of applicants to 25 finalists before identifying the five recipients whose work demonstrated distinct narrative voices, emotionally resonant characters and culturally meaningful perspectives.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 23 Oct. 2025
Miami had been favored by 13 1/2 points but that whittled to 10 1/2 by kickoff, perhaps foretelling the close game as late gambling money flooded to the Cardinals.
—Miami Herald, 18 Oct. 2025
The new departures, which have already been challenged in court, whittled the Education Department's staff by nearly a fifth, based on its most recent headcount estimates of full- and part-time employees.
—Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 11 Oct. 2025
Alexander Bolton, The Hill, 18 Dec. 2025
More rules are set to be whittled further, such as the waste framework directive, which could see the repeal of the only database that contains information on chemicals of concern used in Europe.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 12 Dec. 2025
Ukrainian officials met with White House envoy Steve Witkoff and whittled the plan down.
—Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 10 Dec. 2025
The Horned Frogs saw a double-digit-point lead whittled to just four by intermission, thanks to the 3-point shooting of John Blackwell — who scored 30 points on Friday — and savvy playmaking by former San Diego State guard Nick Boyd.
—Kyle Kensing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Nov. 2025
My leg muscles wasted and my arms seemed whittled into bone.
—Tatiana Schlossberg, New Yorker, 22 Nov. 2025
According to the announcement, TDE Films whittled the pool of applicants to 25 finalists before identifying the five recipients whose work demonstrated distinct narrative voices, emotionally resonant characters and culturally meaningful perspectives.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 23 Oct. 2025
Miami had been favored by 13 1/2 points but that whittled to 10 1/2 by kickoff, perhaps foretelling the close game as late gambling money flooded to the Cardinals.
—Miami Herald, 18 Oct. 2025
The new departures, which have already been challenged in court, whittled the Education Department's staff by nearly a fifth, based on its most recent headcount estimates of full- and part-time employees.
—Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 11 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whittled
Verb
-
Carolina cut the lead 17-14 at halftime after a 1-yard touchdown run by Hubbard and a 16-yard scramble by Young, the second-longest TD run of his career.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Jan. 2026
-
This same staff cut him to make room for a waiver-wire claim before the start of the 2024 season.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Williams clipped Vrabel with his facemask.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Then it’s immediately clipped up and shared online.—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
When Judge Arun Subramanian sentenced him, Combs had his head lowered, with his shoulders hunched and his hands clasped.—
Sarah Jones,
PEOPLE,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Originally $299, the Ginnie was a standout find even during its first markdown ($79), but once the site lowered the price even further, well, then this deal became a steal.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The couple's appearance comes just days after Cher appeared on Shepard's Armchair Expert and dropped a few awkward moments with the hosts.—
Katie Hill,
PEOPLE,
12 Jan. 2026
-
On Philadelphia's final drive, Brown dropped a pass on third-and-five from quarterback Jalen Hurts that went right through his hands.—
Tom Ignudo,
CBS News,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Guerrero, the pastor, said people have pared down their routines out of fear.—
AJ Willingham,
AJC.com,
14 Jan. 2026
-
The restaurant itself is elegantly pared down, with raw plaster walls, white tablecloths, and Scandinavian furniture.—
Rosalyn Wikeley,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Whittled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whittled. Accessed 17 Jan. 2026.
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