as in selecting
to decide to accept (someone or something) from a group of possibilities
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Recent Examples of culling
The story has been decades in the making as the Colombian government tried multiple nonfatal methods of culling the hippo population, including neutering and relocating.
—
Carlie Procell, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2026
The Legislature did start culling license plates, eliminating those that didn’t sell well.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 Apr. 2026
The Lake County Forest Preserves proposed culling deer to balance nature, and there was some controversy.
—Sheryl De Vore, Chicago Tribune, 14 Apr. 2026
The winners include heartbreaking images of an elephant culling in Zimbabwe, a massive apartment fire in Hong Kong, and the devastating aftermath of drone attacks in Ukraine.
—Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 9 Apr. 2026
Because not everyone on the island owns a rifle, men often work in groups to locate the animal that has been selected for culling.
—NPR, 4 Apr. 2026
The culling perfectly played into ongoing fears that AI automation is coming for white-collar jobs, a major job market and economic disruption that workers are becoming increasingly worried about — and which clearly has execs salivating.
—Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 5 Mar. 2026
Around 40% of employees expect to follow Siemiatkowski’s lead in culling staff down the line as a result of AI, according to the 2025 World Economic Forum Future of Jobs Report.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 19 Feb. 2026
Florida’s way of culling the program reduces the income eligibility.
—Lawrence Mower, Miami Herald, 14 Jan. 2026
Carlie Procell, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2026
The Legislature did start culling license plates, eliminating those that didn’t sell well.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 Apr. 2026
The Lake County Forest Preserves proposed culling deer to balance nature, and there was some controversy.
—Sheryl De Vore, Chicago Tribune, 14 Apr. 2026
The winners include heartbreaking images of an elephant culling in Zimbabwe, a massive apartment fire in Hong Kong, and the devastating aftermath of drone attacks in Ukraine.
—Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 9 Apr. 2026
Because not everyone on the island owns a rifle, men often work in groups to locate the animal that has been selected for culling.
—NPR, 4 Apr. 2026
The culling perfectly played into ongoing fears that AI automation is coming for white-collar jobs, a major job market and economic disruption that workers are becoming increasingly worried about — and which clearly has execs salivating.
—Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 5 Mar. 2026
Around 40% of employees expect to follow Siemiatkowski’s lead in culling staff down the line as a result of AI, according to the 2025 World Economic Forum Future of Jobs Report.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 19 Feb. 2026
Florida’s way of culling the program reduces the income eligibility.
—Lawrence Mower, Miami Herald, 14 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for culling
Verb
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Containers dry out much quicker, so keep that in mind when selecting plants and opt for water-wise and drought-resistant varieties, Vater suggests.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
1 May 2026
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The Sox filled the spot by selecting Jarred Kelenic’s contract from Triple-A Charlotte.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
1 May 2026
Verb
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For Suggs, choosing basketball over football was an excruciating decision.—
Josh Robbins,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
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By choosing sustainable options and participating in recycling programs, pilgrims can ensure that their journey of faith also respects the sanctity of the natural world.—
FMG Studios,
Footwear News,
1 May 2026
Verb
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To get there, a city needs a gigantic outdoor footprint, real tourism appeal, public transit, adequate hotel inventory, and a backdrop that makes people want to show up even if their team is picking 24th and taking an offensive lineman.—
Dan Zaksheske OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
26 Apr. 2026
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San Francisco kicked off its Saturday selections by picking Oklahoma defensive tackle Gracen Halton with the 107th overall pick.—
Graham Womack,
Sacbee.com,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Culling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/culling. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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