winnows

verb

present tense third-person singular of winnow
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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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of winnows 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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for winnows
  1. culls
  2. trims
  3. reduces
  4. pares
  5. cuts
  6. discards
Verb
  • 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
  • Fundrise culls its data from both public records and private databases.
    — Diana Olick, CNBC, 27 Jan. 2026
Definition of culls
Verb
  • Spink’s optimism about the growth opportunities in Saudi Arabia comes even as the kingdom trims capital expenditure, cuts some projects, and limits spending on foreign consultants.
    — Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 1 July 2026
  • Coppola's preferred version of the film, Final Cut, removes or trims a handful of sequences, including the exchange between Willard (Martin Sheen) and the Playboy Playmates, and Kurtz (Marlon Brando) reading from TIME magazine.
    — Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 16 June 2026
Definition of trims
Verb
  • Good posture helps prevent aches in the back, neck and shoulders, reduces joint wear and lowers the risk of sports injuries, according to Cleveland Clinic.
    — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 1 July 2026
  • Skipping the stove and oven also reduces indoor heat, so lean on cold sandwiches, salads and no-cook meals during the worst hours.
    — Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of reduces
Verb
  • In its fifth and final season, The Bear pares itself back.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 26 June 2026
  • 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
Definition of pares
Verb
  • When a company cuts its dividend, the stock tanks—that’s the bad scenario.
    — Brett Owens, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
  • There are a few loadouts available at HP's site, but the best overall deal is on this model, which cuts a full 50% off.
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 4 July 2026
Definition of cuts
Verb
  • 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
  • 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
Definition of discards

Browse Nearby Words

winnowing
winnows
wino
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Cite this Entry

“Winnows.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/winnows. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on winnows

Nglish: Translation of winnows for Spanish Speakers

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