whittle away

verb

whittled away; whittling away; whittles away
: to reduce or get rid of (something) slowly
I'm still trying to whittle away a few more pounds.

Examples of whittle away in a Sentence

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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.
Lifting them up puts more money back into the economy, but both draft budgets whittle away at programs to help them. — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2026 The utopia was temporary, its beauty and its small victories whittled away by the scythe of inaction. — Hanif Abdurraqib, New Yorker, 17 Apr. 2026 One Fort Worth man whittled away a few blocks of ice to turn it into a truly Texas masterpiece. — Bo Evans, CBS News, 26 Jan. 2026 Salah is part of a larger trend of attacks on immigrants that whittle away at democratic norms and legal protections for everyone. — Sarah Rumpf-Whitten , Brooke Taylor, FOXNews.com, 3 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for whittle away

Rhymes for whittle away

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Browse Nearby Words

whittle
whittle away
whittle down
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Cite this Entry

“Whittle away.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whittle%20away. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on whittle away

Nglish: Translation of whittle away for Spanish Speakers

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