WHITTLES Synonyms: 68 Similar and Opposite Words

whittles

verb

present tense third-person singular of whittle

as in cuts

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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Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of whittles Specifically, retinol smooths fine lines, lessens wrinkle depth, and whittles the appearance of large pores. — Sophie Wirt, InStyle, 29 May 2026 Throughout the regular season, the league evaluates those 70 people and whittles the larger list down to the top 40 (20 referees paired with 20 linespeople). — Sean Gentille, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2026 Typically, Cameron whittles his selections for each part down to five or six actors based on recommendations and audition tapes, and not only meets with them but tries to create some of the circumstances that will be replicated on set. — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 22 Dec. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for whittles

Verb

When a company cuts its dividend, the stock tanks—that’s the bad scenario.

— Brett Owens, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
There are a few loadouts available at HP's site, but the best overall deal is on this model, which cuts a full 50% off.

— K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 4 July 2026

Definition of cuts

Verb

Fresh concrete is alkaline enough to shield the metal from rust, but carbonation gradually lowers its pH and weakens that protection.

— Sam Macdonald, Scientific American, 11 July 2026
Pre-match cooling lowers the starting point, in-game cooling limits the build-up, and recovery cooling completes the cycle.

— Alan McCall, New York Times, 11 July 2026

Definition of lowers

Verb

The structural design curtails the necessity for active safety mechanisms, electronic trip switches, or manual operator control interventions during an operational deviation.

— Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 3 July 2026
India’s neighbors are seeking additional fuel from New Delhi as the war in the Middle East curtails access to energy supplies from the Persian Gulf, giving Asia’s third-largest economy an opportunity to build goodwill across the region.

— Swati Gupta, Bloomberg, 13 Mar. 2026

Definition of curtails

Verb

Underwater, the wings passively bend up to 90%, which cuts the load on the motor and shortens the effective sweep of each flap.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 13 July 2026
Electra believes those capabilities could support a new point-to-point transportation model that reduces dependence on large commercial airports and shortens regional travel.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 10 July 2026