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 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
Next, your votes whittled the field of contenders to the Top 10 picks, then down to the Top 5 and Top 2.
—
Heidi Finley,
Charlotte Observer,
17 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
George Nelson,
ARTnews.com,
24 June 2026
Next, your votes whittled the field of contenders to the Top 10 picks, then down to the Top 5 and Top 2.
—
Heidi Finley,
Charlotte Observer,
17 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whittled
Verb
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The lineup already was revving, as Rushing homered in the second inning while Sasaki was still in the game, and both Kyle Tucker and Muncy drove in runs off starter Randy Vasquez in the third, cutting the deficit to two.
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Potential applications beyond wind energy The researchers believe the manufacturing approach could cut production costs for small wind turbines and help more people use lightweight renewable energy technology.
Verb
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The material itself is soft, breathable, and machine washable for easy cleaning, and the pillow rolls up into a convenient carrying pouch that can be clipped onto your personal item for easy access.
-
Pinch-hitter Jose Tabata fouled off a pair of 2-2 pitches before Scherzer clipped him on the elbow with a breaking ball.
Verb
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Tesla’s results – which came in above expectations – indicate the company may be recovering after two straight years of annual sales drops and the removal EV tax credits in the US, which has lowered the incentive for prospective American buyers.
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In 1962, off the coast of France, Link lowered diver Robert Sténuit in an inflatable chamber of his own design and kept him at 200 feet for more than 24 hours.
Verb
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This also will be the first time the ball has dropped for a July 4 celebration.
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The first-year pro soccer club dropped a 2-1 home game to One Knoxville, watching the Tennessee side and reigning league champ rally to steal all three points in front of 7,223 fans at Expo Idaho.
Verb
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In the oil market, prices dropped in the morning but pared their losses as the day progressed.
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Men’s fashion was generally pared back and models sporting it often had natural-looking hair and makeup at the recent Paris catwalk displays for spring 2027.
Cite this Entry
“Whittled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whittled. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
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