whittling (down) Synonyms
Strongest:
Strong:
- decreasing
- slashing
- abridging
- disapproving
- compressing
- truncating
- repudiating
- paring
- denting
- curtailing
- throwing-away
- negativing
- trimming
- lowering
- refusing
- downsizing
- spurning
- lessening
- throwing-out
- cutting
- nicking
- shortening
- rejecting
- dwindling
- easing
- cropping
- downscaling
- reducing
- abbreviating
- declining
- retrenching
- depleting
- docking
- pruning
- clipping
Weak:
Strongest:
- setting
- singling-out-
- naming
- settling-on-or-upon-
- adding-to-
- choosing
- marking
- tapping
- electing
- picking
- taking
- culling
- selecting
- fixing
- opting-for-
- tagging
- preferring
Strong:
- handpicking
- preselecting
- accepting
- swelling
- appointing
- adopting
- designating
- nominating
- espousing
- dilating
- lengthening
- increasing
- blowing-up
- prolonging
- inflating
- embracing
- cherry-picking
- extending
Weak:
whittling (down) Meaning
whittling (down)
to gradually make (something) smaller by removing parts
FAQs About the word whittling (down)
to gradually make (something) smaller by removing parts
cutting down, turning down, cutting back, knocking down, decreasing, slashing, abridging, disapproving, compressing, truncating
setting,singling (out), naming, settling (on or upon), adding (to), choosing, marking, tapping, electing, picking
The sculptor carefully whittled the block of wood into an intricate figurine.
Sarah spent hours whittling down the edges of the leather belt to smooth them out.
Tom whittled down the list of potential candidates by eliminating those who lacked the necessary qualifications.
The committee whittled down the project budget to ensure it stayed within financial constraints.
