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.
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Recent Examples of whittling
Thompson estimated larger labels can sign hundreds of trainees before whittling them down to a final selection.
—
Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 16 Jan. 2026
The 50-member panel test drives all of the vehicles, whittling a list of dozens of qualifying vehicles down to semifinalists, before naming the finalists from which the winners are chosen.
—Liam Rappleye, Freep.com, 14 Jan. 2026
Kyiv and its European allies hastily amended that plan, whittling it down to 19 proposals, with Ukrainian officials travelling to Florida last weekend for more talks on the proposals.
—Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 3 Dec. 2025
Born in 1970 in Herber City, Utah, Allen is largely self-taught, having begun his artistic career by whittling figures and selling them from atop an ironing board on the streets of SoHo in New York.
—News Desk, Artforum, 24 Nov. 2025
Still, Kansas never slowed, whittling Duke’s margin to five on three consecutive possessions midway through the second half… only for Scheyer’s squad to respond each time.
—Brendan Marks, New York Times, 19 Nov. 2025
Here, artisans guide visitors through the basics of whittling and woodturning workshops, teaching you about the tools and techniques of one of the oldest forms of art.
—Essence, 20 Oct. 2025
Beauty was whittling myself down with anorexia and the gasps of college friends at the beauty of my bones through my skin.
—Literary Hub, 18 Aug. 2025
Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 16 Jan. 2026
The 50-member panel test drives all of the vehicles, whittling a list of dozens of qualifying vehicles down to semifinalists, before naming the finalists from which the winners are chosen.
—Liam Rappleye, Freep.com, 14 Jan. 2026
Kyiv and its European allies hastily amended that plan, whittling it down to 19 proposals, with Ukrainian officials travelling to Florida last weekend for more talks on the proposals.
—Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 3 Dec. 2025
Born in 1970 in Herber City, Utah, Allen is largely self-taught, having begun his artistic career by whittling figures and selling them from atop an ironing board on the streets of SoHo in New York.
—News Desk, Artforum, 24 Nov. 2025
Still, Kansas never slowed, whittling Duke’s margin to five on three consecutive possessions midway through the second half… only for Scheyer’s squad to respond each time.
—Brendan Marks, New York Times, 19 Nov. 2025
Here, artisans guide visitors through the basics of whittling and woodturning workshops, teaching you about the tools and techniques of one of the oldest forms of art.
—Essence, 20 Oct. 2025
Beauty was whittling myself down with anorexia and the gasps of college friends at the beauty of my bones through my skin.
—Literary Hub, 18 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whittling
Verb
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Although the Jayhawks led by as many as 21 points, BYU stayed within striking distance in the second half, cutting the lead to six as the clock ticked under two minutes to go.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
1 Feb. 2026
-
There were cancellations and delays, with the Department of Transportation cutting flights due to safety concerns.—
Caitlin Yilek,
CBS News,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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However, there was still a lot of work to do, and with Mitchell clipping at his heels, the 18-year-old showed excellent composure to keep him at bay before planting a clinical shot past Dean Henderson.—
Tom Burrows,
New York Times,
26 Jan. 2026
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Treatment typically starts with clipping the fur around the injury, cleaning the area and, if needed, suturing the skin.—
Miriam Fauzia,
Dallas Morning News,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Yet Trump made clear in his meeting with Cabinet secretaries that greater opportunities to buy homes shouldn't mean lowering costs, even as Americans voice concerns about the price tag to buy a home.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
29 Jan. 2026
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As profits reach their apex, investors temper their expectations by lowering the multiple.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Whittling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whittling. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.
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