whittling
noun
whit·tling
ˈ(h)wi-tᵊl-iŋ 
ˈ(h)wit-liŋ
1
: the act or art of whittling
2
: a piece cut away in whittling
Examples of whittling in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
From the outset of his administration, the gravest danger was always going to be his vision of an imperial presidency and the whittling away of the checks and balances and autonomous institutions that a generation of Mexicans painstakingly spent several decades building.
—
Arturo Sarukhan, Foreign Affairs, 18 Feb. 2022
That’s the logic of this video: a whittling down—first, the masses singing along in one oceanic voice, then smaller groupings suggesting home.
—Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 11 July 2024
But the death of this institution could come in another way – the whittling away of public spaces, the closing of doors to local authors, and the end to partnerships like the Pen and Podium series.
—The Denver Post Editorial Board, The Denver Post, 25 Apr. 2024
My colleague at Commentary magazine, Abe Greenwald, points out that the past three and a half years have seen a whittling away of the arguments Biden used against Trump.
—Matthew Continetti, National Review, 4 May 2024
The tools are sturdy and sharp: there are two blades sharp enough for sawing, a pocketknife perfect for whittling, and two sharp scissors.
—Barbara Bellesi Zito, Travel + Leisure, 18 Oct. 2023
What is underemphasized, as a result, is the degree to which Birgitte’s concerns about her family and her appearance are intertwined with her fears about the whittling away of her legacy as Denmark’s first female Prime Minister, thanks to Signe, her younger, more social-media-savvy successor.
—Kylie Warner, The New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2022
But with Tya, there is no whittling.
—Melanie Fine, Forbes, 4 Jan. 2022
The whittling of the line between the listener and the protagonist’s interiority is the central mechanic of the piece, one that Kim and Iskra sought to realize by leaning hard on binaural recording.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 22 June 2021
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.
Arturo Sarukhan, Foreign Affairs, 18 Feb. 2022
That’s the logic of this video: a whittling down—first, the masses singing along in one oceanic voice, then smaller groupings suggesting home.
—Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 11 July 2024
But the death of this institution could come in another way – the whittling away of public spaces, the closing of doors to local authors, and the end to partnerships like the Pen and Podium series.
—The Denver Post Editorial Board, The Denver Post, 25 Apr. 2024
My colleague at Commentary magazine, Abe Greenwald, points out that the past three and a half years have seen a whittling away of the arguments Biden used against Trump.
—Matthew Continetti, National Review, 4 May 2024
The tools are sturdy and sharp: there are two blades sharp enough for sawing, a pocketknife perfect for whittling, and two sharp scissors.
—Barbara Bellesi Zito, Travel + Leisure, 18 Oct. 2023
What is underemphasized, as a result, is the degree to which Birgitte’s concerns about her family and her appearance are intertwined with her fears about the whittling away of her legacy as Denmark’s first female Prime Minister, thanks to Signe, her younger, more social-media-savvy successor.
—Kylie Warner, The New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2022
But with Tya, there is no whittling.
—Melanie Fine, Forbes, 4 Jan. 2022
The whittling of the line between the listener and the protagonist’s interiority is the central mechanic of the piece, one that Kim and Iskra sought to realize by leaning hard on binaural recording.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 22 June 2021
Cite this Entry
“Whittling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whittling. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share