as in selecting
to decide to accept (someone or something) from a group of possibilities
culled the best short stories from the author's body of writings
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Recent Examples of culling
Germany banned chick culling back in 2022, even before commercially viable in-ovo sexing machines existed.
—
Christine Ro, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
Last year, CargoWise and E2Open parent WiseTech Global announced a nearly 30 percent culling of its staff through 2027, overtly tying the job cuts to its deployments of AI technologies.
—Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 11 June 2026
Mandarin Oriental is culling a portfolio of Exceptional Homes, which, while not necessarily linked to hotels, are appointed with amenities expected of the luxury brand.
—Maya Kachroo-Levine, Travel + Leisure, 8 May 2026
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
Christine Ro, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
Last year, CargoWise and E2Open parent WiseTech Global announced a nearly 30 percent culling of its staff through 2027, overtly tying the job cuts to its deployments of AI technologies.
—Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 11 June 2026
Mandarin Oriental is culling a portfolio of Exceptional Homes, which, while not necessarily linked to hotels, are appointed with amenities expected of the luxury brand.
—Maya Kachroo-Levine, Travel + Leisure, 8 May 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for culling
Verb
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The actor decorated the residence herself, tackling one room at a time and carefully selecting everything from the furnishings to the fabrics.—
Michelle Duncan,
Architectural Digest,
12 June 2026
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Then came the work; visiting distilleries, playing with mash bills, tasting endlessly and hand-selecting the whiskeys that would eventually go into their blends.—
Lela London,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
Verb
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In her acceptance speech, Swift said choosing to be a songwriter was easy, then fought back tears while thanking her family.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
12 June 2026
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How does choosing Gwen Graham help push Florida and Democrats into the future?—
Sofia Baltodano,
Miami Herald,
12 June 2026
Verb
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Is that enough to force Roberts into the uncomfortable position of picking one of his aces over another, like a father picking one of his sons over another?—
Bill Shaikin,
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2026
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Another logistic that should be considered ahead of time is picking the route.—
Judy Koutsky,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Culling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/culling. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
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