1
as in to dry
to lose liveliness, force, or freshness shortly after the moon landing, interest in the space program withered the old man seemed to wither suddenly upon turning 80

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2

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of wither The platform has been heavily criticized over the last year by users who’ve said their smart home gadgets have been left to wither as Google moves away from Assistant and focuses on Gemini. PC Magazine, 8 Oct. 2025 But the chatter never ended, and since the Bucks came away with the title, Milwaukee’s playoff success has continued to wither away. Greg Liodice, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025 The hope was that shaping the environment rather than launching attacks would cause Moscow’s influence to wither. Monica Duffy Toft, The Conversation, 30 Sep. 2025 Once those reserves are exhausted, China may be tempted to broker a deal to buy American soybeans, but those hopes may wither when the Southern Hemisphere's harvest season begins early next year. Marissa Meador, IndyStar, 26 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for wither
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wither
Verb
  • The material is a durable 70-denier nylon taffeta that’s supremely soft, breathable, cooling, and quick-drying.
    Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 22 Oct. 2025
  • Recharge the balls by washing them in a mesh bag on a delicate cycle, then air-dry or run them through a drying cycle on high heat.
    Lauren David, Southern Living, 22 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • After a disappointing domestic debut and meager turnout overseas, the sci-fi sequel is fading too fast to have any hope of recouping its $180 million production budget in theaters.
    J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 18 Oct. 2025
  • Back in Guatemala City, as the light begins to fade from the skyline, the maquila workers emerge from their factories.
    Ladan Anoushfar, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Now is not the time for pastors to wilt or keep our heads down, hoping against hope that we won’t be noticed.
    Rev. Nathan Empsall, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
  • Don’t wait until the leaves wilt to water because that’s a sign it’s been too long between waterings.
    Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 21 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • While the very high end of the market is strong, the aspirational luxury market has weakened due to economic pressures.
    Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Far from expanding opportunity, this excessive wealth locks millions out of the chance to innovate and build, weakening growth for all.
    Scott Ellis, Time, 17 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The lights themselves are also heavy, can make the nets sag, and not easy for fishers to work with.
    Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 15 Oct. 2025
  • Representing Super has taken on a tough job, reviving a sagging brand while activist investors send spitballs in from the outside and competitors look to take share.
    Evan Clark, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The rapper also expressed frustration towards those who criticized her appearance at a rally Kamala Harris hosted in Milwaukee ahead of the 2024 election, stating that the wrong parts of her speech went viral.
    Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 20 Oct. 2025
  • These can require more unraveling, and the further back one goes, the more conjecture there is.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Semafor traced it to a pair of US life insurers that had funneled policyholders’ cash to 777’s Bermudan reinsurer, which invested it into sports teams, airplanes, a payday lender, and a failing budget airline, among other bets generally unsuited for insurance guarantees.
    Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 18 Oct. 2025
  • Yet Britain failed to capitalize on the success, underestimating the American ability to regroup and continue fighting.
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 18 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Wither.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wither. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.

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