WINNOW Synonyms: 123 Similar and Opposite Words

winnow

verb

Definition of winnow

as in to cull

to remove less desirable choices from a group or list They winnowed the pool of applicants down to a few of the strongest candidates. I tried to winnow out the options that weren't a good value for the price.

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of winnow But for three contests — Assembly District 67, Assembly District 68 and Assembly District 72 — the June 2 primary was needed to winnow the field. — Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 7 July 2026 The first knockout round continues through Friday night, when the field will be winnowed to 16 teams. — Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 28 June 2026 The council winnowed that list down to five finalists who interviewed for the post last week ahead of Monday’s vote. — Mary Ramsey updated June 22, Charlotte Observer, 23 June 2026 Even in the face of Comcast’s subscriber-winnowing move to shift NESN to its pricier service tier, the network’s ratings continue to grow. — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 12 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for winnow

Recent Examples of Synonyms for winnow

Verb

Curator Marcus Lobbes developed the concept with Nils Corte and dramaturge Andri Hardmeier, feeding computers about 1,000 images culled from the 15 prior Bayreuth Ring productions.

— ABC News, ABC News, 4 Aug. 2026
This strategy was most convincingly implemented in 1997 on Monhegan Island, off the coast of Maine, where residents fed up with Lyme disease hired a sharpshooter to cull all of the deer.

— Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of cull

Verb

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions — The maker of unmanned systems for the military rose as much as 8% postmarket before paring that advance.

— Darla Mercado, CFP®,Fred Imbert, CNBC, 4 Aug. 2026
But the necessity of paring down such a massive event has the effect of flattening the very elements that ought to give it its texture and heft — namely, the people involved.

— Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 30 July 2026

Definition of pare

Verb

Use sharp tools to trim blooms close to the stalk and avoid cutting off buds.

— Andrea Beck, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Aug. 2026
Haskell's team is also staying high in quality and coupons, trimming lower-coupon exposures in favor of those that are upward of 5% that the firm thinks are better poised to handle periods of market uncertainty.

— Darla Mercado, CFP®, CNBC, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of trim

Verb

However, a dangerous push to cut these crucial programs, especially in Africa, risks repeating past errors and ceding influence to competitors.

— James K. Glassman, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026
Sears carried it wide, cut inside center-back Rafaelle, and fired past Moorhouse for the goal.

— Kyle Foley, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Aug. 2026

Definition of cut

Verb

For example, shifting the Fed’s portfolio toward short-term Treasury bills and away from long-term bonds or mortgage-back securities could reduce market price distortion and limit the government’s role in allocating capital across sectors.

— David Zhang, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026
And China, with its massive oil inventory, has been drawing down its reserves and reduced its crude imports by more than 4 million barrels a day, according to JPMorgan.

— David Goldman, CNN Money, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of reduce

Verb

Paige has even had to sift through the DMs of men shooting their shot with her mom, who at last check was still married to her dad, a former University of Pittsburgh football player.

— Sean Joseph OutKick, FOXNews.com, 26 July 2026
In a third bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.

— Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 July 2026

Definition of sift

Browse Nearby Words

winnings

winnow

winnowed

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Winnow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/winnow. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of winnow

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on winnow

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

nurture

Popular in Grammar & Usage

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

How long is a jiffy?

Popular

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Games & Quizzes