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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whittling (down)
Verb
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Renewal pruning is another beneficial technique—cutting back overgrown stems to remove barriers preventing light from reaching inner branches.—
Emily Leahy,
Hartford Courant,
3 May 2026 -
Eighty percent of Americans are cutting back on spending due to higher gas prices.—
Katica Roy,
Fortune,
2 May 2026
Verb
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In hindsight, Julius Randle turning down a potential drive to the rim and instead lobbing a grenade to Rudy Gobert near the end of the shot clock was a harbinger of the rest of his night.—
Dane Mizutani,
Twin Cities,
9 May 2026
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Stanley Tucci is opening up about turning down opportunities to take part in food competition shows.—
Armando Tinoco,
Deadline,
7 May 2026
Verb
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French guard Marine Johannes was equally unstoppable, knocking down five 3-pointers to finish with 17 points on top of five rebounds, three assists and three steals.—
Emily Adams,
Hartford Courant,
9 May 2026
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The aftermath of the Supreme Court's 6-3 decision knocking down a key protection in the Voting Rights Act is reverberating across the nation.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Whittling (down).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whittling%20%28down%29. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
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