whittled (down)

past tense of whittle (down)

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for whittled (down)
Verb
  • For example, a business might choose to cut down on flights by grouping client visits into one trip rather than going back and forth to the same area.
    Egor Karpovich, Forbes.com, 18 July 2025
  • Water heating is typically the second-highest use of energy in a home, so taking colder showers could help cut down your electric bill.
    Kameryn Griesser, CNN Money, 17 July 2025
Verb
  • Consumers especially have been cutting back on discretionary purchases, such as recreational services, travel and dining out.
    Paul Davidson, USA Today, 13 July 2025
  • When at 5 feet podocarpus don’t seem to mind being cut back to the same height at each pruning.
    Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 July 2025
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.

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Whittled (down).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whittled%20%28down%29. Accessed 26 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!