wither

verb

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with·er | \ ˈwi-t͟hər

withered; withering\ ˈwit͟h-riŋ , ˈwi-t͟hə-

Definition of wither

(Entry 1 of 3)

intransitive verb

1 : to become dry and sapless especially : to shrivel from or as if from loss of bodily moisture

2 : to lose vitality, force, or freshness public support for the bill is withering

transitive verb

1 : to cause to wither

2 : to make speechless or incapable of action : stun withered him with a look— Dorothy Sayers

wither

noun

Definition of wither (Entry 2 of 3)

chiefly British

: withers

Wither

biographical name

With·er | \ ˈwi-t͟hər

Definition of Wither (Entry 3 of 3)

George 1588–1667 English poet and pamphleteer

Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about wither

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Synonyms for wither

Synonyms: Verb

dry,
wilt

Examples of wither in a Sentence

Verb The plants withered and died. shortly after the moon landing, interest in the space program withered

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Two Detroit-area brothers who were accused of allowing their severely disabled mother to wither and die will not face murder charges after a unanimous decision by the Michigan Supreme Court. — Ed White, Detroit Free Press, "Brothers cleared after winning court decision in Trenton mom's death," 3 Apr. 2021 As the flowers wither, remove them from the plant while leaving the green stems and foliage intact. — Derek Carwood, Better Homes & Gardens, "How to Grow and Care for Easter Lilies to Enjoy Their Gorgeous Blooms," 5 Mar. 2021 The fire began in an area that’s experienced below-average rainfall, causing the vegetation to wither. — Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, "The winds stoking wildfire in North County could last into Christmas Day," 24 Dec. 2020 But standing pat, continuing to pay Krystkowiak and watch Utah basketball continue to wither from now until the dismal end, would have been frustrating and costlier still. — Gordon Monson, The Salt Lake Tribune, "Gordon Monson: Larry Krystkowiak is terminated at Utah, mediocrity shoving him out the door," 16 Mar. 2021 However, without dedicating the appropriate resources to change a company’s culture, the new arrivals will wither. — Francisca Williams-oni, Forbes, "Skills-Based Hiring Alone Won’t Solve Your Inclusion Problem," 2 Mar. 2021 Meanwhile, the foundations of good government needed to deliver on progressive policies — transparency, accountability, efficiency — continue to wither. — Paul Ostrow, Star Tribune, "Minneapolis needs reformers, not performers," 28 Feb. 2021 Every gardener has felt the defeat of bringing home a special plant only to watch it slowly wither. — oregonlive, "Foolproof plants for aspirational gardeners: Plant it and forget it series," 2 Mar. 2021 And as more nations join, Jin says that China’s de facto veto power may someday wither away. — Time, "How Jin Liqun Charted an Independent Course for China's Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank," 19 Feb. 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'wither.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.