as in culls
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 winnows
The primary winnows the field for most federal, state and local offices, with the two candidates who receive the most votes advancing to the general election that decides who wins.
—
John Woolfolk, Mercury News, 18 May 2026
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
John Woolfolk, Mercury News, 18 May 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for winnows
Verb
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The model, which does not source without permission, culls mountains of data about the natural world from partners including the Smithsonian, London’s Natural History Museum and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
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Fundrise culls its data from both public records and private databases.—
Diana Olick,
CNBC,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The 2026 model, with only minor changes from 2025, is available in Premiere, Reserve and Black Label trims.—
James Raia,
Mercury News,
1 May 2026
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The third round of voting trims the field to four restaurants.—
Susan Stapleton,
Des Moines Register,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The system enables closed-loop recycling, which extends material life cycles and reduces cotton emissions and pollution.—
Jennifer Bringle,
Footwear News,
14 May 2026
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Oatmeal's beta-glucan fiber helps curb hunger, supports weight loss, and reduces harmful visceral fat.—
Colleen Doherty,
Verywell Health,
14 May 2026
Verb
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Designed by Sam Burch Architects, the house takes a familiar Mediterranean look and pares it back, using the natural setting to do alot of the heavy lifting.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
6 Apr. 2026
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Marvel Avengers Expansion Impressions The biggest strength of the Marvel Multiverse Role Playing Game expansions continues to be succinct writing that pares down decades of comic book history into a short but informative chapter.—
Rob Wieland,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Coverage of the candidates’ debates underscores a level of political engagement and conflict that cuts against the article’s emphasis on apathy and confusion.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
17 May 2026
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As local public transit cuts loom later this year, Kansas City’s bus service will expand this summer, temporarily, to meet higher demand during the FIFA World Cup.—
Chris Higgins,
Kansas City Star,
16 May 2026
Verb
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Try the Storm Chaser, which sends you into a zero-gravity fall, catches you in a funnel, then discards you into a pool below.—
Stacey Leasca,
Travel + Leisure,
18 Feb. 2026
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At the same time, Gans discards the psychological and spatial logic that gave meaning to the original telling’s dream-like sense of disorientation.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
23 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Winnows.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/winnows. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
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