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
  • The episode cuts back and forth between John’s tense interview and his upbringing, revealing how John was conditioned to be fearless from a young age.
    — Matt Minton, Variety, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Analysis from Bank of America shows that Fed officials already appear to be adapting to Warsh's latest communication style by cutting back on public appearances.
    — , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of cut back
Verb
  • The amendment was turned down because many of the early voting sites were unavailable or gave the southern precincts more locations than the northern precincts had.
    — Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Cody Gakpo, Lucca Brughmans Gakpo seems set to stay at Liverpool after Manchester City had an £80million bid turned down.
    — The Athletic UK Staff, New York Times, 1 Sep. 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 3 Sep. 2026.

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