1 B2 idiomatic neutral
To reduce something gradually through repeated small actions or over a long period of time.
"Years of mismanagement had whittled away the company's once impressive cash reserves."
separable
whittle away
B2 neutral separable transitive
To gradually reduce or erode something over time through small, repeated actions.
In plain English
To slowly make something smaller and smaller, a little bit at a time.
What does "whittle away" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 C1 idiomatic neutral
To undermine or slowly destroy something abstract such as trust, rights, or power.
"The new laws have been steadily whittling away at our privacy rights."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To shave thin pieces off wood with a knife repeatedly, slowly reducing its size.
Actually means
To slowly make something smaller and smaller, a little bit at a time.
Usage tip
Often used in negative contexts — whittling away savings, rights, or confidence. The subject is frequently abstract (time, debt, competition). Common in journalistic and analytical writing.
Words that pair with "whittle away"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
savings lead rights confidence time resources
How to conjugate "whittle away"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
whittle away
I/you/we/they
3rd person
whittles away
he/she/it
Past simple
whittled away
yesterday
Past participle
whittled away
have + pp
-ing form
whittling away
continuous
Hear "whittle away" in the wild
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