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
Leaders have reinforced that narrative by whittling their workforces in the name of AI.
—
Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 1 June 2026
In a normal year, casting director Jesse Tannenbaum and his team sift through 25,000 applications, per Backstage, whittling them down to just 18 players per season.
—Charlotte Walsh, PEOPLE, 20 May 2026
Crystal Palace, Leeds United and Nottingham Forest have all made their excuses and left the fight for Premier League survival, whittling it down to just two potential candidates to join Burnley and Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Championship next season.
—Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 12 May 2026
The Vegas Golden Knights, the team directly ahead of the Kings in the Pacific Division standings, have lost six of their last 10, whittling their lead to four points over the Kings in the battle for the division’s third and final postseason berth.
—Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2026
Longman, production exec Suzy Aplin and their team sifted through 1,800 audition tapes before whittling things down.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 20 Mar. 2026
Since then, there have been fall 1996 Gianni Versace Couture gowns at the 2026 Critics’ Choice Awards and a waist-whittling custom Ashi Studio creation for the 2026 Golden Globes.
—Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 22 Feb. 2026
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent screened the qualifying candidates, whittling the list down to five and then four.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 30 Jan. 2026
Thompson estimated larger labels can sign hundreds of trainees before whittling them down to a final selection.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 16 Jan. 2026
Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 1 June 2026
In a normal year, casting director Jesse Tannenbaum and his team sift through 25,000 applications, per Backstage, whittling them down to just 18 players per season.
—Charlotte Walsh, PEOPLE, 20 May 2026
Crystal Palace, Leeds United and Nottingham Forest have all made their excuses and left the fight for Premier League survival, whittling it down to just two potential candidates to join Burnley and Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Championship next season.
—Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 12 May 2026
The Vegas Golden Knights, the team directly ahead of the Kings in the Pacific Division standings, have lost six of their last 10, whittling their lead to four points over the Kings in the battle for the division’s third and final postseason berth.
—Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2026
Longman, production exec Suzy Aplin and their team sifted through 1,800 audition tapes before whittling things down.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 20 Mar. 2026
Since then, there have been fall 1996 Gianni Versace Couture gowns at the 2026 Critics’ Choice Awards and a waist-whittling custom Ashi Studio creation for the 2026 Golden Globes.
—Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 22 Feb. 2026
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent screened the qualifying candidates, whittling the list down to five and then four.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 30 Jan. 2026
Thompson estimated larger labels can sign hundreds of trainees before whittling them down to a final selection.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 16 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whittling
Verb
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There is also more cutting required of bloomed flowers to initiate another flush, and more cleaning up and cutting secondary branches in spring.—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
6 June 2026
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Barr rightly notes that current capital standards were already near the low end of what academic research identifies as optimal; cutting further tips the balance toward fragility, not strength.—
Mayra Rodriguez Valladares,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
Verb
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There was also, again strangely, slightly more clipping on show in very bright areas in the Bravia 9 II’s Standard and Movie presets than there was on the original Bravia 9, even though the Bravia 9 II actually displayed less clipping than its predecessor in Professional mode.—
John Archer,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
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Manager Dave Roberts said the ball mostly hit the pad on Ohtani's hand before clipping his pinkie finger.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 May 2026
Verb
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Muskiet added that the true blood-pressure-lowering effect of GLP-1s may actually be underestimated in the review.—
Fran Kritz,
Verywell Health,
4 June 2026
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Last season, Tyler Guyton allowed 31 quarterback pressures in just 10 games, and lowering that number will be crucial in lowering Prescott’s overall cleanliness in the pocket after being pressured the sixth-most of any quarterback last season.—
Nick Harris,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Whittling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whittling. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
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