whit·tle
ˈ(h)wi-tᵊl 
whittled; whittling
ˈ(h)wi-tᵊl-iŋ
ˈ(h)wit-liŋ
1
a
: to pare or cut off chips from the surface of (wood) with a knife
b
: to shape or form by so paring or cutting
2
: to reduce, remove, or destroy gradually as if by cutting off bits with a knife : pare
whittle down expenses
1
: to cut or shape something (such as wood) by or as if by paring it with a knife
2
: to wear oneself or another out with fretting
archaic
: a large knife
Examples of whittle in a Sentence
Verb
He was sitting on the porch, whittling a stick.
She whittled a walking stick from a maple tree branch.
Recent Examples on the Web
Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post, 14 Mar. 2025
Agencies can whittle personnel through layoffs, attrition, removal of underperforming employees, or renegotiation of collective bargaining agreements.
—Sarah D. Wire, USA TODAY, 13 Mar. 2025
The Trump Administration had already been whittling the agency’s staff, though buyout offers and the termination of probationary employees.
—TIME, 12 Mar. 2025
Respect for the Eagles is why the point spread favoring he Chiefs as whittled from 2 1/2 points down to a negligible 1.
—Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 6 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for whittle
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Verb
An 8-2 run punctuated by a floater from Matthew Webber in the lane has whittled the Colorado Academy lead down to 35-30 with three minutes left in the third quarter.
—Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post, 14 Mar. 2025
Agencies can whittle personnel through layoffs, attrition, removal of underperforming employees, or renegotiation of collective bargaining agreements.
—Sarah D. Wire, USA TODAY, 13 Mar. 2025
The Trump Administration had already been whittling the agency’s staff, though buyout offers and the termination of probationary employees.
—TIME, 12 Mar. 2025
Respect for the Eagles is why the point spread favoring he Chiefs as whittled from 2 1/2 points down to a negligible 1.
—Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 6 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for whittle
Cite this Entry
“Whittle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whittle. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.
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