as in cut
to cause to diminish gradually by or as if by cutting off bits with a knife
He was sitting on the porch, whittling a stick.
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Recent Examples of whittled
The market is trying to recover, but elite collectors seemingly want only trophy works; raging global conflicts, economic uncertainty, and political turmoil have whittled demand down to the safest names.
—
George Nelson,
ARTnews.com,
24 June 2026
Next, your votes whittled the field of contenders to the Top 10 picks, then down to the Top 5 and Top 2.
—
Heidi Finley,
Charlotte Observer,
17 June 2026
While previous seasons of South Park have comprised between 10 to 15 episodes, and sometimes more, in recent years, Parker and Stone have whittled the number down to about five or six.
—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
19 May 2026
After much discussion, the council whittled that list down to three options before asking staffers to conduct more research before the council decides whether to put those choices to voters.
—
Victoria Le,
Oc Register,
13 May 2026
But the 30 or so deaths earlier this year due to bird flu has whittled the number of swans down to about 44, a city official said.
—
Ryan Gillespie,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 May 2026
His work as an accountant had spared him the sun marks and whittled skin that Mother carried.
—
Literary Hub,
24 Apr. 2026
Dayton whittled the deficit to 10 early in the second half, but Belle buried a 3-pointer and Hill hit a pull-up jumper for a 48-33 lead with 15 minutes remaining.
—
ABC News,
15 Mar. 2026
The Tigers whittled one of those UK leads down to five points with just over 10 minutes left.
—
Kansas City Star,
12 Mar. 2026
George Nelson,
ARTnews.com,
24 June 2026
Next, your votes whittled the field of contenders to the Top 10 picks, then down to the Top 5 and Top 2.
—
Heidi Finley,
Charlotte Observer,
17 June 2026
While previous seasons of South Park have comprised between 10 to 15 episodes, and sometimes more, in recent years, Parker and Stone have whittled the number down to about five or six.
—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
19 May 2026
After much discussion, the council whittled that list down to three options before asking staffers to conduct more research before the council decides whether to put those choices to voters.
—
Victoria Le,
Oc Register,
13 May 2026
But the 30 or so deaths earlier this year due to bird flu has whittled the number of swans down to about 44, a city official said.
—
Ryan Gillespie,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 May 2026
His work as an accountant had spared him the sun marks and whittled skin that Mother carried.
—
Literary Hub,
24 Apr. 2026
Dayton whittled the deficit to 10 early in the second half, but Belle buried a 3-pointer and Hill hit a pull-up jumper for a 48-33 lead with 15 minutes remaining.
—
ABC News,
15 Mar. 2026
The Tigers whittled one of those UK leads down to five points with just over 10 minutes left.
—
Kansas City Star,
12 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whittled
Verb
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Kirkmeyer has campaigned on affordability and safety issues, Bottoms is pushing for a redo of the state's education system among other things and Marx wants to cut regulations and lower the cost of living.
-
Terrell Carstens, a 25-year resident of Brookhaven, said she is frustrated the city made little effort to find places to cut costs instead of raising the rate.
Verb
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The material itself is soft, breathable, and machine washable for easy cleaning, and the pillow rolls up into a convenient carrying pouch that can be clipped onto your personal item for easy access.
-
Pinch-hitter Jose Tabata fouled off a pair of 2-2 pitches before Scherzer clipped him on the elbow with a breaking ball.
Verb
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Following the 1968 season, the Baseball Rules Committee lowered the pitcher’s mound in order to enhance offense.
-
In her testimony before lawmakers, Education Secretary McMahon repeatedly said that some graduate schools have already lowered their prices ahead of the big change.
Verb
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Meanwhile, the president’s approval rating on the economy dropped to 33% last week in an NPR/PBS News/Marist Poll — his lowest ever for that poll and 3 points below former President Biden’s worst reading on the question during his term.
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The point Algeria picked up for the draw gave them four for the tournament, one more than Iran gained in their three matches in Group G, and dropped Iran to the ninth spot among the third place teams, one shy of making the round of 32.
Verb
-
Of course, when an outfit is pared back, accessories are even more important.
-
Whether the night is elaborate or pared down, Stewart’s central rule has not budged.
Cite this Entry
“Whittled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whittled. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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