whittling (down)

verb

Definition of whittling (down)next
present participle of whittle (down)
as in cutting down

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for whittling (down)
  1. cutting back
  2. turning down
  3. knocking down
Verb
  • Beef sales fell in the 13 weeks leading up to mid-July, with consumers cutting back on eating out or opting for cheaper proteins, Bloomberg reported.
    — Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Schmidt said cutting back agricultural water use is not going to be easy.
    — Matthew Glasser, ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of cutting back
Verb
  • For McConaughey, turning down The Last of Us was less about the material and more about his own life’s circumstances.
    — Shelby Stivale, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Here are six signs that turning down a job offer deserves serious consideration.
    — Kathy Caprino, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
Definition of turning down
Verb
  • Even Rebecca Allen, who again entered the starting lineup with the team dealing with injuries, imposed her will, knocking down three treys as a result of the fluid offense getting the opponent out of sorts.
    — Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • With those numbers, the WNBA should be knocking down Tétart's door, right?
    — Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of knocking down
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.

Browse Nearby Words

whittling
whittling (down)
whiz
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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 18 Aug. 2026.

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