whittle

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.

He must whittle that number down to 26 as England accelerate planning for their opening World Cup game against Croatia on 17 June in Arlington, Texas.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026

That should generate a number of options, which you can further whittle down with say, links to past purchases that worked well, or further texture specifications.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 3, 2025

When you work on other aspects of your 2025 taxes, you may whittle your income down enough to qualify.

From Barron's • Nov. 25, 2025

“American Primeval” “As always, this is one of the tougher categories to whittle down, but my favorite of the year remains ‘The Penguin.’

From Los Angeles Times • May 22, 2025

I had to whittle him a fork out of the crotch of a twig, as Jessie Coon James had gone off with the others.

From "My Side of the Mountain" by Jean Craighead George