shrivel

verb

shriv·​el ˈshri-vəl 

 especially Southern  ˈsri-

shriveled or shrivelled; shriveling or shrivelling ˈshri-vəl-iŋ 

ˈsri-;

ˈshriv-liŋ,

ˈsriv-

intransitive verb

1

: to draw into wrinkles especially with a loss of moisture

2

a

: to become reduced to inanition, helplessness, or inefficiency

b

: dwindle

transitive verb

: to cause to shrivel

Examples of shrivel in a Sentence

plants shriveling in the heat

Recent Examples on the Web

After delivery, the healthcare provider cuts this cord, leaving a stump that shrivels and shrinks. —Mark Gurarie, Health, 12 Oct. 2024

Korea’s #MeToo uprising has since shrivelled, but Han and many other women writers—Kyung-sook Shin, Kim Hyesoon, Hwang Jung-eun—are still in their rightful place, defining contemporary Korean literature. —E. Tammy Kim, The New Yorker, 10 Oct. 2024

Curing or drying potatoes thickens their skins, allows minor cuts and abrasions to heal, and makes spuds less likely to rot or shrivel in storage. —Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Oct. 2024

Sea Ice Bottoms Out By Sept. 11, the sea ice had shriveled to 4.28 million square kilometers, or 1.65 million square miles, according to the NSIDC. —Tom Yulsman, Discover Magazine, 26 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

1565, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Kids Definition

shrivel

verb

shriv·​el ˈshriv-əl 

shriveled or shrivelled; shriveling or shrivelling -(ə-)liŋ 

: to shrink and become dry and wrinkled