whittle away
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.
Trendforce, a research firm, said China’s manufacturing advantage could help it whittle away at America’s lead, since it could deploy humanoids faster at scale.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 2, 2026
At first, she was content to whittle away at her debt by making the minimum payments for perhaps two decades.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2025
Then, as Joe tries and fails to whittle away at Brontë’s sense of self in a bid to regain her affections, he realizes that he has lost control.
From Salon ● Apr. 25, 2025
Others worry that increased efficiency through AI tools could whittle away jobs in areas like makeup, production and animation.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 28, 2024
I've time enough to whittle away at this before mother comes back.
From The Grey Woman and other Tales by Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell
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