whittle away
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
To drain away; to wear down or be slowly worn down.
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
what little remained of his self-confidence was slowly whittling away
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “whittle away” mean?
To drain away; to wear down or be slowly worn down.
Is “whittle away” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.