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.
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 whittled
Next, your votes whittled the field of contenders to the Top 10 picks, then down to the Top 5.
—
Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 15 June 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
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
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
Dayton whittled the deficit to 10 early in the second half, but Belle buried a 3-pointer and Hill hit a pull-up jumper for a 48-33 lead with 15 minutes remaining.
—ABC News, 15 Mar. 2026
The Tigers whittled one of those UK leads down to five points with just over 10 minutes left.
—Kansas City Star, 12 Mar. 2026
On fourth-and-3 from the Washington 8 in the third quarter, rather than take a field goal that would’ve whittled Washington’s lead to 29-21.
—Seth Emerson, New York Times, 4 Mar. 2026
Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 15 June 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
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
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
Dayton whittled the deficit to 10 early in the second half, but Belle buried a 3-pointer and Hill hit a pull-up jumper for a 48-33 lead with 15 minutes remaining.
—ABC News, 15 Mar. 2026
The Tigers whittled one of those UK leads down to five points with just over 10 minutes left.
—Kansas City Star, 12 Mar. 2026
On fourth-and-3 from the Washington 8 in the third quarter, rather than take a field goal that would’ve whittled Washington’s lead to 29-21.
—Seth Emerson, New York Times, 4 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whittled
Verb
-
The current unrest first erupted in May after Paz cut long-standing fuel subsidies to shrink the deficit.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
20 June 2026
-
Some analysts expect Apple could benefit as manufacturers of Android devices cut specs or raise prices.—
Kif Leswing,
CNBC,
19 June 2026
Verb
-
Eight minutes later the game was level when Hwang In-beom clipped the ball deftly over the onrushing Matej Kovar and Oh Hyeon-Gyu completed the comeback on 86 minutes.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
14 June 2026
-
Scotland came close to a goal in the 17th minute when captain Scott McTominay got loose and fired a shot that clipped the top of the post.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
14 June 2026
Verb
-
Some wearers experienced side effects including headache, lowered mood and discomfort wearing the glasses, though similar issues showed up with non-filtering lenses too.—
Samantha Agate,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 June 2026
-
The review also flagged possible downsides reported in individual studies, including headache, lowered mood and discomfort wearing the glasses.—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
13 June 2026
Verb
-
Then, in early 2026, after ticket sales dropped sharply, the board decided to close the center for about two years for major renovations.—
Aysha Bagchi,
USA Today,
14 June 2026
-
The two embraced and Rick dropped a kiss on his boy’s forehead.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
Verb
-
The distribution was pared down even more.—
Brett Owens,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
-
Style them for your next night out with Another Tomorrow’s slinky tank, a pair of Banana Republic trousers, and Chloé’s knotted leather belt for a look that’s pared-back yet packed with punch.—
Laura Jackson,
Vogue,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Whittled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whittled. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
