Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whittled (down)
Verb
-
Its forecast for profit in the current quarter fell short of analysts' expectations as an industrywide shortage of memory pushes some handset makers to cut back on orders.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
6 Feb. 2026 -
Throughout 2025, wealthy consumers maintained spending on services, while the broader consumer base became increasingly price-conscious, prioritizing smaller-ticket items and cutting back on big-ticket purchases such as electronics and furniture.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Doctors’ requests for lab work were often turned down because of logistical hurdles, partly due to the number of agencies working together on the base, the officers said.—
Amy Maxmen,
Miami Herald,
11 Feb. 2026
-
And on Tuesday, a federal grand jury turned down an effort by the Justice Department to criminally charge Kelly and five other lawmakers over the video, CBS News reported.—
Hunter Woodall,
CBS News,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The 183 shots he’s knocked down beyond the arc are second in the NBA only to Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell, who’s merely two makes ahead of Knueppel.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Feb. 2026
-
While Thursday’s game was tight in the first half, TCU maintained a 61-48 lead entering the fourth quarter after Miles knocked down seven 3-pointers in the third.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 Feb. 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Whittled (down).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whittled%20%28down%29. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
