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
The European Union, once a top Kremlin customer, has banned all seaborne imports of Russian crude oil, and whittled Moscow’s share of its natural gas imports delivered via pipeline to about 11% last year, from more than 40% in 2021.
—
Anna Cooban, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2025
After ten weeks and 550 matches, the sixteen teams of the Premier League of MLP have been whittled to ten, the six Challenger teams are in Southern California, and the playoff schedules are out.
—Todd Boss, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Anna Cooban, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2025
After ten weeks and 550 matches, the sixteen teams of the Premier League of MLP have been whittled to ten, the six Challenger teams are in Southern California, and the playoff schedules are out.
—Todd Boss, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whittled
Verb
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Vance said one portion of Democrats are making unreasonable demands to restore more than $1 trillion over the next decade in healthcare spending that was cut earlier this year.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
4 Oct. 2025
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Training, professional development, and the Safe Cities Partnership are among the areas cut.—
Paul Egan,
Freep.com,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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An eyewitness tells 12 News that the drones clipped the crane's cable and plummeted to the ground.—
Jibin Joseph,
PC Magazine,
3 Oct. 2025
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The moment — delivered by Steinfeld’s character Mary on a humid New Orleans train platform — was clipped, memed and replayed across TikTok, igniting think pieces and parodies alike.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Researchers found that adding Greek yogurt to men's diets lowered certain inflammation markers more effectively than carbohydrates alone.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
7 Oct. 2025
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While tax collections will still grow modestly, SEA 1 lowered revenue projections by about $20 million in 2027 and roughly $30 million in 2028, according to Hanson.—
Jordan Smith,
IndyStar,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Arsenal are now winless in three matches, seven dropped points in total, more than Chelsea lost all last season, and are fifth in the table behind Tottenham Hotspur.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
5 Oct. 2025
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Hawaiian authorities also recovered a hat that the man in the security footage had dropped after leaving Tokuhara's clinic.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Despite the bold tones and sculptural silhouettes on display, the beauty direction stayed pared-back and refined, focused on skincare, highlighting Prada Beauty’s skincare line.—
Kristine Kwak,
StyleCaster,
28 Sep. 2025
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Meanwhile, Dreaming Eli was more pared back with three, eyebrow-scraping top lashes, choosing length over volume.—
Essence,
Essence,
23 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Whittled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whittled. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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