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
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
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
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
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
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
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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On one sequence Harding made a perfect bounce pass to a cutting Edmonds, who dunked over a West Virginia defender.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
22 Feb. 2026
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Go easy on the buffing Some people also like to buff their nails after cutting, and a light buff can promote healthy growth and increase shine.—
Andee Tagle,
NPR,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
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As tariffs provoke backlash and global trade uncertainty, markets for Texas exports have been curtailed, clipping the wings of our economy.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
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Mulching grass clipping and leaves through your mower will return organic matter to your lawn.—
Chris McKeown,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Candidates Sylvester Fulcher, Wesam Shahed, Patricia Joan ‘Trish’ Murphy, Antoine Bass and Veronica Bolling-Franklin range in experience and viewpoints, though all claim lowering property taxes and boosting health care accessibility are goals.—
Olivia Stevens,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Feb. 2026
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Almonds Almonds are an easy and healthy snack option that are full of blood pressure-lowering vitamins and minerals.—
Jillian Kubala,
Health,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Whittling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whittling. Accessed 24 Feb. 2026.
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