whittled (down)

Definition of whittled (down)next
past tense of whittle (down)

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for whittled (down)
Verb
  • Hockey East, despite its strong New England hockey brands, has long been a one-bid league, but this season the conference cut back on in-conference games, allowing for better out-of-conference math.
    Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 8 Mar. 2026
  • If your shrubs do not have young stems to work with, cut back the thick old stems to about 2 feet, just above the point where there is a young stem.
    Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 7 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • When public address announcer Mark Fratto introduced Young as a starter with the lights in the arena turned down, many of the fans stood and cheered.
    Josh Robbins, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
  • Despite the Kennedy family's reputation as unofficial American royalty, John and Carolyn famously turned down the opportunity to have a blockbuster celebrity wedding.
    Emma Banks, InStyle, 5 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • My dad used to say, when you get knocked down, Joey, just get up.
    Todd Feurer, CBS News, 6 Mar. 2026
  • But once move-in day rolled around in Lubbock, Keith lifted a bed that knocked down a ceiling fan and caused an injury to his throwing arm.
    Hunter Patterson, New York Times, 5 Mar. 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.

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Cite this Entry

“Whittled (down).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whittled%20%28down%29. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.

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