as in culling
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 winnowing
And his anxieties seem propelled by a fear of winnowing potential, the feeling that he might be left behind.
—
Jeremy Gordon, The Atlantic, 22 Aug. 2025
Jeremy Gordon, The Atlantic, 22 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for winnowing
Verb
-
But Kennedy has already propagated an insidious revolution within the agencies under his control, using a playbook familiar to illiberal leaders—culling expertise, silencing critics, and weaponizing administrative procedure to grant a veneer of legitimacy to his actions.—
Dhruv Khullar,
New Yorker,
6 Sep. 2025
-
In October 2022, Spotify, under pressure from investors to reduce costs, began culling its original podcast offerings, cancelling several Gimlet shows and laying off dozens of staffers.—
Eric Benson,
Rolling Stone,
18 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Scott's expertise in embellishment and her ability to execute it in the most chic way prevailed; whether as crystal beading on the cape-style lapel of a jacket, a delicate fur-like fringe in neon green flanking a black dress, or a tubular velvet rope trimming the edges of tank-style pieces.—
Roxanne Robinson,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Something as simple as trimming nails or cutting hair also takes on new challenges, as without gravity, every tiny clipping would drift around, potentially clogging equipment or entering astronauts' eyes or lungs.—
Kenna Hughes-Castleberry,
Space.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Spend some time worrying about that thing that’s actually quite meaningless, getting mad at that person cutting me off in traffic?—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
13 Sep. 2025
-
Marinaccio is cutting it Marinaccio made his big-league debut with the Yankees in 2022 and between June and July of that did not allow a hit to 57 consecutive batters.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The confirmation came just two days before the Fed is expected to vote on reducing its key interest rate.—
Adeola Adeosun
Robert Birsel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Every action counts, whether reducing HFCs, investing in sustainable cooling, or holding governments accountable for climate commitments.—
Dianne Plummer,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Novo shares climbed over 4% in morning trade, paring earlier losses.—
Karen Gilchrist,
CNBC,
10 Sep. 2025
-
With health insurance premiums projected to skyrocket at the end of the year thanks to the expiration of tax credits Democrats enacted during the pandemic, Republicans are likely to focus on paring back those federal subsidies.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Winnowing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/winnowing. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share