as in to cull
to remove less desirable choices from a group or list
They winnowed the pool of applicants down to a few of the strongest candidates. I tried to winnow out the options that weren't a good value for the price.
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Recent Examples of winnow
From that group, the Playwrights Project staff winnows down the number to a list of finalists and those scripts are read and judged by a group of theater professionals.
—
Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Feb. 2026
Investigators then winnow down the group further by excluding people who, for instance, might have been out of the country when a crime was committed.
—Bill Chappell, NPR, 19 Feb. 2026
Is the only pleasure in her winnowing life to be denied?
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 17 Feb. 2026
The Minnesota Department of Transportation has winnowed thousands of submissions for its Name a Snowplow contest down to 30 finalists.
—Anthony Bettin, CBS News, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for winnow
Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Feb. 2026
Investigators then winnow down the group further by excluding people who, for instance, might have been out of the country when a crime was committed.
—Bill Chappell, NPR, 19 Feb. 2026
Is the only pleasure in her winnowing life to be denied?
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 17 Feb. 2026
The Minnesota Department of Transportation has winnowed thousands of submissions for its Name a Snowplow contest down to 30 finalists.
—Anthony Bettin, CBS News, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for winnow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for winnow
Verb
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Robinhood currently offers markets powered by and culled from Kalshi and ForecastEx.—
Dan Santaromita,
New York Times,
9 Mar. 2026
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Although the store has culled most of its used books, Aragon-Shafi plans to still sell some of the used and rare inventory that West Side was first known for.—
Judith Kohler,
Denver Post,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Lawmakers pared back the idea through the amendment process in February, citing concerns that the original language would swell state spending, box out private pest control companies and create an unfunded mandate to counties, which historically handle pests that threaten farms and infrastructure.—
Mark Dee
March 17,
Idaho Statesman,
17 Mar. 2026
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But Maker Studios’ business was steadily pared back, as the model failed to have legs.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Golden State trimmed the deficit to single digits early in the second half but quickly entered foul trouble, with Boston drawing five whistles in the first four minutes of the third quarter.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
19 Mar. 2026
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Leonard scored 12 of his points during that stint and the Clippers led by as many as 18 during the opening quarter before the Pelicans trimmed it to 40-26 on Murphy’s free throws.—
Oc Register,
Oc Register,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Even as Michigan State came roaring back in the second half, cutting the lead to just two in the final minute, UCLA never flinched.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Mar. 2026
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Orangefield cut the lead to 8 points a couple of times late in the game, but Cobb made 5 of 6 free throws in the final 46 seconds to keep the Bobcats at bay.—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In the kitchen, ingredients are sourced locally to reduce carbon footprint and maintain freshness.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 Mar. 2026
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To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommends scheduling frequent rest breaks in shaded or air-conditioned environments.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But the group has repeatedly held off on a final vote on recommendations in recent weeks, as its members sift through lingering tensions over definitions and how to apply the regulations to the health care industry, among other sore spots.—
Nick Coltrain,
Denver Post,
15 Mar. 2026
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The Andy Cohen avatar is designed to help users sift through hundreds of series in the Bravo library.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
15 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Winnow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/winnow. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.
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