winnow

verb

Definition of winnownext
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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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 The number of options could initially stretch into the billions as the league winnowed down the choices. — Mike Vorkunov, New York Times, 28 July 2026 The board winnowed down its list from six semifinalists to two in a vote at a special meeting held Tuesday. — Austin Horn, Miami Herald, 21 July 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for winnow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for winnow
  1. cull
  2. trim
  3. cut
  4. pare
  5. sift
  6. reduce
  7. discard
Verb
  • The picture painted from the interview subjects, who occasionally draw sketches of weapons-screen interfaces on notepads, is of a computerized tracking-and-killing apparatus, culled from the surveillance Israel keeps of nearly every phone in Gaza.
    — Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
  • That list was culled to 1,015 firms, and finalists completed surveys to confirm key details.
    — Kate Dore, CFP®, EA,Kelli Grant, CFP®, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of cull
Verb
  • This year’s Democrats are making hard plays for northeast Ohio, at least to trim the GOP margins.
    — David Weigel, semafor.com, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Amid the ongoing labor negotiations in baseball, which is widely expected to result in a work stoppage this winter, MLB agreed to trim the requirement to five years for players over 30 years old.
    — Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of trim
Verb
  • Sullivan denied that the law would cut Medicaid for Alaskans, saying the Affordable Care Act had a greater impact and raised insurance premiums in the state drastically.
    — Matthew Choi The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 17 Oct. 2026
  • The new version of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child has been cut from a five-hour show performed across two parts to a single three-hour performance as it is performed on Broadway.
    — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of cut
Verb
  • Acts who might typically tour with multiple semi-trucks have to pare it down to come play the off-the-grid, experimental fest.
    — Katie Bain, Billboard, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Elsewhere, typically experimental designer Duran Lantink pared back his characteristically whackadoodle approach to design for a smarter compromise this season.
    — Joe Bobowicz, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of pare
Verb
  • Lowen must move into the Crawford family’s foreboding Vermont lake house to flirt with her husband sift through Verity’s notes and embody her voice.
    — Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 6 Oct. 2026
  • For a category definitions refresher, sift through our clue glossary.
    — Vulture, Vulture, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of sift
Verb
  • Sullivan touted his Bycatch Reduction Act, a bill intended to reduce excess fish caught by large commercial trawlers.
    — Matthew Choi The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Energy-absorbing seats are designed to manage forces transmitted to occupants during an impact, potentially reducing injury risks.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of reduce
Verb
  • Once discarded, these traps also inadvertently capture birds and other wildlife.
    — Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Responses with the error were discarded, as were voters who had already been attempted, and quotas were reset.
    — New York Times, New York Times, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of discard

Browse Nearby Words

winnings
winnow
winnowed
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Cite this Entry

“Winnow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/winnow. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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