whittle away
phrasal 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
Recent Examples on the Web
But the shifts whittled away at the Democrats’ historic urban advantage and opened up a new avenue outside rural Wisconsin for Republican inroads.
—
Craig Gilbert, Journal Sentinel, 25 Nov. 2024
While the county made good on its promise by buying prime farmland for protection, commissioners over the years have whittled away Ag Reserve protections, despite steady vigilance by citizens.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 21 Aug. 2024
Current polling has Wisconsin and the rest of the Midwest at a dead heat, with aggregates showing that Vice President Kamala Harris' small lead in Michigan and Pennsylvania whittled away completely in the final days of the race.
—Nina Turner, Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2024
Harris, Reilly noted, has also focused on whittling away at Trump’s advantage among Mormon voters in the state, a group that historically has favored Republicans.
—Aamer Madhani, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2024
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Craig Gilbert, Journal Sentinel, 25 Nov. 2024
While the county made good on its promise by buying prime farmland for protection, commissioners over the years have whittled away Ag Reserve protections, despite steady vigilance by citizens.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 21 Aug. 2024
Current polling has Wisconsin and the rest of the Midwest at a dead heat, with aggregates showing that Vice President Kamala Harris' small lead in Michigan and Pennsylvania whittled away completely in the final days of the race.
—Nina Turner, Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2024
Harris, Reilly noted, has also focused on whittling away at Trump’s advantage among Mormon voters in the state, a group that historically has favored Republicans.
—Aamer Madhani, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for whittle away
Dictionary Entries Near whittle away
Cite this Entry
“Whittle away.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whittle%20away. Accessed 18 Dec. 2024.
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