whittled (down)

past tense of whittle (down)

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for whittled (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
Verb
  • Karen Fernandez, lead esthetician at SkinSpirit, told Byrdie the theory is to let skin rebuild its protective stratum corneum layer, and that cutting back can also help identify products causing irritation or breakouts.
    — Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 26 Oct. 2026
  • To avoid cutting workers, Torani cut back on other expenses instead, including marketing and advertising.
    — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Harbach spent a decade writing it; it was turned down by umpteen literary gatekeepers; eventually, one plucky young agent took a chance on it, and a bidding war ensued.
    — Malcolm Forbes, Christian Science Monitor, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Skerritt originally turned down the role as Captain Dallas of the doomed spacecraft Nostromo in Alien (1979) after fearing that the film’s budget would be consumed by special effects.
    — Chris Koseluk, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Seeman appeared to curse at Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride, and Hill confronted Minnesota Vikings linebacker Eric Wilson after being inadvertently knocked down.
    — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • When Conrad was knocked down at a practice session, Belmonte ran to help him while Manolete lured the animal away.
    — Stephen Bates, New Yorker, 22 Oct. 2026
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Whittled (down).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whittled%20%28down%29. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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