as in to 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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of whittle
After whittling a 24-point, second-half deficit down to a single point with 4.1 seconds left to play, Ven-Allen Lubin stepped to the free-throw line for two shots that could’ve changed the trajectory of UNC’s season.
—
Brendan Marks, The Athletic, 15 Mar. 2025
But President-elect Donald Trump's selection of a number of House Republicans to fill top posts in his administration is pulling from an already shallow bench, temporarily whittling the GOP majority down further as Trump takes office in January.
—Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 2 Dec. 2024
An 8-2 run punctuated by a floater from Matthew Webber in the lane has whittled the Colorado Academy lead down to 35-30 with three minutes left in the third quarter.
—Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post, 14 Mar. 2025
Agencies can whittle personnel through layoffs, attrition, removal of underperforming employees, or renegotiation of collective bargaining agreements.
—Sarah D. Wire, USA TODAY, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for whittle
Brendan Marks, The Athletic, 15 Mar. 2025
But President-elect Donald Trump's selection of a number of House Republicans to fill top posts in his administration is pulling from an already shallow bench, temporarily whittling the GOP majority down further as Trump takes office in January.
—Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 2 Dec. 2024
An 8-2 run punctuated by a floater from Matthew Webber in the lane has whittled the Colorado Academy lead down to 35-30 with three minutes left in the third quarter.
—Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post, 14 Mar. 2025
Agencies can whittle personnel through layoffs, attrition, removal of underperforming employees, or renegotiation of collective bargaining agreements.
—Sarah D. Wire, USA TODAY, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for whittle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whittle
Verb
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The mom of one most notably cut her hair in January 2023, debuting a head-turning, blunt bob.—
Dayna Haffenden,
People.com,
5 Apr. 2025
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The Fed cut rates three times last year on signs that inflation was slowing.—
Bryan Mena,
CNN Money,
4 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The 27-year-old’s next offering was even more up and in, the baseball colliding with India’s helmet, clipping his ear flap and grazing his face.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
31 Mar. 2025
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Everybody was able to move out, but two older women were really almost clipped.—
Patrick Smith,
NBC news,
24 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The Boston Globe | Getty Images Europe’s Stoxx Healthcare index was 4.4% lower at 10:02 a.m. in London on Wednesday, paring earlier losses but still trading low enough to lead the regional equity sell-off.—
Chloe Taylor,Jenni Reid,Sawdah Bhaimiya,Sophie Kiderlin,
CNBC,
9 Apr. 2025
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Federal government employment showed a decline of 4,000 jobs from February to March after an initiative by the Trump administration to pare the federal workforce.—
Sylvan Lane,
The Hill,
4 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 320.01 to 37,645.59, and the Nasdaq composite sank 335.35 to 15,267.91.—
Time,
Time,
9 Apr. 2025
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Markets dropped sharply over several days after the President’s announcement.—
Renée Onque,
CNBC,
8 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Friendship is robbed of its expansiveness and curtailed.—
Priya Vulchi,
Time,
9 Apr. 2025
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One huge question is whether the tariff shock will force the U.S. into a recession, as businesses face deep uncertainty and consumers consider curtailing personal spending.—
Niall Stanage,
The Hill,
7 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Whittle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whittle. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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