Winnowing: meaning, definitions and examples

This word is often used in agricultural contexts, specifically referring to the process of removing chaff from grain. It can also be used metaphorically to describe the process of getting rid of unwanted elements to focus on what is valuable.

• Farmers are winnowing the wheat to prepare it for storage.
• The hiring process is about winnowing out unqualified candidates.

Separating can be used in a wide range of contexts to describe dividing or distinguishing different parts or elements. It is a general term and can apply to both tangible and intangible things.

• The scientists are separating the two chemicals for the experiment.
• The task of separating truth from rumors can be challenging.

Sorting is usually used in contexts where items are arranged or organized according to a particular criterion. It is common in logistics, data management, and everyday activities.

• The librarian is sorting the books by genre.
• She spent the afternoon sorting through old photographs.

Filtering is typically used in technical or everyday contexts to describe the process of removing impurities or unwanted parts from a substance or information. It can be used in both literal and figurative senses.

• The water treatment plant is filtering the river water to make it safe to drink.
• She is filtering through her emails to find the important ones.

This term is often used in agriculture when referring to the process of separating grain from chaff or unwanted materials. It can also be used metaphorically to describe the act of removing the less important or worthless parts from a larger group.

• The farmers spent hours winnowing the wheat after the harvest.
• The hiring committee is winnowing through the resumes to find the best candidates.

This word is commonly used in both literal and metaphorical contexts. Literally, it refers to the process of removing impurities or unwanted elements from a substance, like water or air. Metaphorically, it can mean separating useful information from irrelevant data.

• The water filter needs to be changed every six months.
• She tried to filter out all the noise and focus on the important details.

Often used in cooking to describe the process of passing dry ingredients like flour through a sieve to remove lumps or impurities. It also has metaphorical use, meaning to examine something carefully in order to find what is most important or valuable.

• Please sift the flour before adding it to the batter.
• The detective had to sift through a lot of information to find the crucial evidence.

This term is generally used to describe the act of arranging items systematically in groups based on shared characteristics or criteria. It can be used with both physical objects and data.

• She helped sort the clothes into different piles for washing.
• The librarian sorted the books by genre.