whittle (down)

verb

Definition of whittle (down)next
as in to cut down

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for whittle (down)
  1. cut down
  2. cut back
  3. turn down
Verb
  • If the war does indeed come to an end and oil keeps falling, Warsh might get breathing room for rate cuts down the line.
    — Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 16 June 2026
  • Courtesy of the Abu Haikal family Haikal said his family’s own homes have been targeted in settler attacks, including having stones thrown at their home, their crops destroyed, trees cut down and property stolen.
    — Chantal Da Silva, NBC news, 16 June 2026
Definition of cut down
Verb
  • Leaving some long vines and cutting back others creates a fuller effect.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Many people who are attempting to cut back on their Instagram use remove the app from their phone and use only the desktop-computer version, which is clunkier and less comfortable to scroll through for hours.
    — Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of cut back
Verb
  • The candidate who turns down your offer doesn’t necessarily go on to repeat what was heard.
    — Jon Michail, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • In fact, trade proposals have been sent to two teams — the Los Angeles Sparks and the Connecticut Sun — but were turned down.
    — Annie Costabile, New York Times, 28 July 2026
Definition of turn down
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

whittled (down)
whittle (down)
whittles
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Cite this Entry

“Whittle (down).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whittle%20%28down%29. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

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