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.

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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 Eiren’s pick now advances to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which will winnow submissions from countries around the world down to a shortlist of 15 films before narrowing to five nominees. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026 Tech stocks’ forward P/E has quickly winnowed to near pre-COVID levels and isn’t much more expensive than the broader market. — Brett Owens, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026 Republicans hold a narrow 53-47 majority in the Senate, which has been winnowed to 52 during McConnell’s extended absence — meaning Blanche can only afford two Republican defections to be confirmed. — Kevin Breuninger,garrett Downs, CNBC, 6 Aug. 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for winnow

Recent Examples of Synonyms for winnow

Verb

Flu experts were unequivocal that the government should have ordered the farm to cull its mink, as other countries have done.

— Nat Lash, ProPublica, 23 Oct. 2026
Large outbreaks force farms to cull their flocks to prevent the spread of the disease, diminishing the domestic supply of chickens and raising prices.

— Joe Hernandez, NPR, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of cull

Verb

Though consumers are advised to eat smaller fish or to trim away belly fat and dark meat to remove contaminants, blue catfish is increasingly popular table fare.

— Tovar Cerulli, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Oct. 2026
Edmunds recommends avoiding the base SE Standard Range trim because of its EPA range estimate of just 220 miles.

— ABC News, ABC News, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of trim

Verb

In a pouch-cell demonstration, the battery continued powering an LED even after being folded and cut.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 31 Oct. 2026
At least 15 of the 53 donors who gave money this month had no history of state-level political contributions, and many more hadn’t cut checks in at least a decade.

— Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of cut

Verb

As conventional grocery stores such as Ralphs and Albertsons pare back locations, Vallarta and other specialty markets are filling the gap, sometimes moving into communities that had lost their go-to supermarkets.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
All of the nails were glossy and pared back, reminding us of the minimalist glass nail trend.

— Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of pare

Verb

Their job is to sift through the noise and the questionable fluff.

— Chintan Shah, Forbes.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Their project, called Black Hole Hunters, is looking for volunteers with a computer and a few spare minutes to sift through troves of data gathered by a NASA space telescope.

— Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of sift

Verb

By controlling how densely cancer-targeting proteins are displayed on the virus, the team developed vaccine particles that significantly reduced tumor development in mice.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 31 Oct. 2026
Research suggests standard time better aligns with our circadian rhythm, or internal clock, and reduces the risk of health complications.

— Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 31 Oct. 2026

Definition of reduce

Verb

Treating this salty wastewater is expensive and energy-intensive, so much of it is usually discarded because processing the brine at concentrators costs too much.

— Muskan Bhatia, Interesting Engineering, 23 Oct. 2026
Prior to Harmony's launch, the last new room addition to the ISS had occurred in 2001, when Russia's Pirs docking module (since discarded) arrived.

— Tariq Malik, Space.com, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of discard

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winnings

winnow

winnowed

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“Winnow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/winnow. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of winnow

verb

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