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.
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Recent Examples of winnow
While 1,500 people may be employed to build a center, the number of jobs winnows to the double digits once construction is complete.
—
Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 5 June 2025
For 2026 and 2027, Marvel has significantly winnowed its feature slate.
—Adam B. Vary, Variety, 19 June 2025
Earlier rounds winnowed down the list to 18 finalists, all of whom served their dishes to a new set of judges Friday.
—Michael James Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 June 2025
DeChambeau shot a 7-over 77 to put him at 10-over through the first two days of golf’s third major of the year, a few shots more than the cutline that winnows the field before the third and fourth rounds.
—Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for winnow
Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 5 June 2025
For 2026 and 2027, Marvel has significantly winnowed its feature slate.
—Adam B. Vary, Variety, 19 June 2025
Earlier rounds winnowed down the list to 18 finalists, all of whom served their dishes to a new set of judges Friday.
—Michael James Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 June 2025
DeChambeau shot a 7-over 77 to put him at 10-over through the first two days of golf’s third major of the year, a few shots more than the cutline that winnows the field before the third and fourth rounds.
—Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for winnow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for winnow
Verb
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The Sunshine State is in the process of approving a proposal that would create an annual hunt to cull black bear populations.—
Owen Clarke,
Outside Online,
25 July 2025
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The national herd has declined to 86.7 million head, the lowest since 1951, according to the AFBF. Prolonged droughts in cattle-producing states like Texas, Kansas and Nebraska have devastated grazing pastures, forcing many farmers to cull their herds.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
14 July 2025
Verb
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Diageo shares have pared gains, last trading around 3% higher as investors digest the drinks maker's earnings report.—
Jenni Reid,Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
5 Aug. 2025
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Voters will rank candidates in order of preference, and there will be no political primary to pare the field.—
Alex Derosier,
Twin Cities,
4 Aug. 2025
Verb
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In the case of the plastic eel, trim the tail to a slim taper.—
Anthony A. Ciuffa,
Outdoor Life,
7 Aug. 2025
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To see if your rose bush is dying or just dormant, trim a cane that looks dead and cut away some of the bark.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
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But analysis by the Congressional Budget Office shows that raising the age to 69 - up from the current 67 - could cut lifetime benefits by up to 13 percent for anyone born after 1971.—
Aliss Higham,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Aug. 2025
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Mary and her friend, Amelia, planted a White Lady Banks rose cutting near the back patio of the Cochise boarding house, where the couple lived.—
Olivia Rose,
AZCentral.com,
14 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Over the past year, the co-CEOs have executed a plan to shave off $500 million in costs, sell off assets and reduce a workforce by more than 15 percent as Paramount shifts ownership.—
Erik Hayden,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Aug. 2025
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Those fine particles can stick together tightly, reducing pore space for water to move through or percolate.—
Andy Wilcox,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The starting point is to sift through the available signals and pinpoint those that are most useful.—
Tate Olinghouse,
Forbes.com,
13 Aug. 2025
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How does Google or Grok sift and deliver results, compared with a living, breathing human at Belfast’s Public Library?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Winnow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/winnow. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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