Etymology
Origin of whittling
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Pochettino’s task now, with only four exhibition matches remaining before the World Cup kicks off, is whittling down a squad that he has spent over a year tinkering with.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 6, 2025
But the key is to put a cap on how much you spend to avoid falling into the trap of whittling away your winnings.
From MarketWatch • Nov. 12, 2025
Billed as a fundraiser, the debt-ridden centre said the money from the portfolios would go towards whittling down a long list of overdue bills, including unpaid wages for educators.
From BBC • Sep. 24, 2025
In each case, he wrote and recorded some 50 songs before whittling down his track lists considerably.
From Salon • Jun. 24, 2025
Seabiscuit and Aneroid matched strides down the homestretch, with Aneroid whittling away at Seabiscuit’s lead, inch by inch.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
