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 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
  1. cull
  2. pare
  3. trim
  4. cut
  5. reduce
  6. sift
Verb
  • The Australian watchdog's claim, filed to the federal court Wednesday, said the unlimited broadcast size of Telegram channels meant the app must take responsibility for culling harmful material.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 July 2026
  • TikTok viewers figured that out back in 2021, when her viral videos began to cull a following.
    — Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 30 July 2026
Definition of cull
Verb
  • The Braves and Cubs usually are pro-active, too, while the Brewers and Rays often seek more prospects in favor of paring payroll and increasing future forecasts.
    — Chuck Murr, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • Sparkling yet simple, Gerber’s dress eschewed 1980s high glam for a look that was pared back yet still glamorous enough to evoke the decade.
    — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 28 July 2026
Definition of pare
Verb
  • The Halos trimmed the deficit to 6-2 in the bottom of the fifth when Vaughn Grissom singled and Denzer Guzman drove an opposite-field, two-run homer to right-center, his fifth of the season.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Three-year programs typically work by reducing the credit requirement from 120 down to 90 or 100, largely by trimming general education requirements, open electives, and the room for a double major or a semester abroad.
    — Christopher Rim, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Definition of trim
Verb
  • At the same time, the data shows, courts have severely cut the length of time many people are getting to prepare for complex immigration proceedings, from about six months to often just a little more than a month.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Using a paring knife, mark a smaller square inside each pastry square, leaving a 1/2 inch border (do not cut all the way through the dough).
    — Torie Cox, Southern Living, 1 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
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Cite this Entry

“Winnow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/winnow. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of winnow for Spanish Speakers

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