as in cutting
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.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whittling
Verb
-
Spend some time worrying about that thing that’s actually quite meaningless, getting mad at that person cutting me off in traffic?—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
13 Sep. 2025 -
Marinaccio is cutting it Marinaccio made his big-league debut with the Yankees in 2022 and between June and July of that did not allow a hit to 57 consecutive batters.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Its audio comes through clean and detail-rich, with noise cancelling and automatic limiting to handle background chaos without clipping your voice.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
9 Sep. 2025
-
Crews will complete work on the Riverfront Extension Project that requires a shutdown, like clipping wires and placing the overhead guide wire between Second and Third streets.—
Noelle Alviz-Gransee,
Kansas City Star,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The city has a long history of financial distress linked to lowering the millage rate, which is fueling fears of another potential crisis.—
Veronica Egui Brito,
Miami Herald,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Purifying your indoor air, lowering blood pressure, and helping reduce stress and anxiety are a few benefits.—
Essence,
Essence,
12 Sep. 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.
Cite this Entry
“Whittling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whittling. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share