as in culls
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 winnows
The primary winnows the field for most federal, state and local offices, with the two candidates who receive the most votes advancing to the general election that decides who wins.
—
John Woolfolk,
Mercury News,
18 May 2026
From that group, the Playwrights Project staff winnows down the number to a list of finalists and those scripts are read and judged by a group of theater professionals.
—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Feb. 2026
John Woolfolk,
Mercury News,
18 May 2026
From that group, the Playwrights Project staff winnows down the number to a list of finalists and those scripts are read and judged by a group of theater professionals.
—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for winnows
Verb
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The model, which does not source without permission, culls mountains of data about the natural world from partners including the Smithsonian, London’s Natural History Museum and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
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Fundrise culls its data from both public records and private databases.
Verb
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Coppola's preferred version of the film, Final Cut, removes or trims a handful of sequences, including the exchange between Willard (Martin Sheen) and the Playboy Playmates, and Kurtz (Marlon Brando) reading from TIME magazine.
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For 2026, the hybrid is offered in LXS, EX, SX, and SX Prestige trims.
Verb
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Soluble fiber reduces cholesterol levels by blocking its absorption in the digestive tract and promoting its excretion from the body.
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Its 58-degree vertical design reduces wrist strain, while advanced features boost productivity.
Verb
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Designed by Sam Burch Architects, the house takes a familiar Mediterranean look and pares it back, using the natural setting to do alot of the heavy lifting.
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Marvel Avengers Expansion Impressions The biggest strength of the Marvel Multiverse Role Playing Game expansions continues to be succinct writing that pares down decades of comic book history into a short but informative chapter.
Verb
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Amid rising travel costs, Nguyen prioritizes travel in her budget and cuts expenses elsewhere.
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If the business stabilizes, cuts costs, sells an underperforming division, or improves capital allocation, the stock can re-rate quickly.
Verb
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Try the Storm Chaser, which sends you into a zero-gravity fall, catches you in a funnel, then discards you into a pool below.
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At the same time, Gans discards the psychological and spatial logic that gave meaning to the original telling’s dream-like sense of disorientation.
Cite this Entry
“Winnows.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/winnows. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
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