whittle down

verb

whittled down; whittling down; whittles down
Synonyms of whittle downnext
: to gradually make (something) smaller by removing parts
We whittled the list down to four people.

Examples of whittle down in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
In order to ensure that residents within Shawnee Mission’s service areas wouldn’t face a tax increase, the district had to whittle down project costs to $370 million. — Taylor O'Connor 25, Kansas City Star, 25 Aug. 2026 Eventually, yes, but first, the dozens of women who show up in hopes of making the team will have to be whittled down. — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 19 Aug. 2026 Asking the public for a third round of tax increases feels like a political nonstarter, but so does whittling down his workers’ benefits. — Bob Herman, STAT, 18 Aug. 2026 The pool will be whittled down to a 12-person jury that will be tasked with deciding whether Sierra should be condemned to Florida’s Death Row or sentenced to life in prison. — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 17 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for whittle down

Rhymes for whittle down

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Browse Nearby Words

whittle away
whittle down
whittler
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Whittle down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whittle%20down. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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