wither

1 of 2

verb

with·​er ˈwi-t͟hər How to pronounce wither (audio)
withered; withering
ˈwit͟h-riŋ,
ˈwi-t͟hə- How to pronounce wither (audio)

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 lookDorothy Sayers

wither

2 of 2

noun

chiefly British

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
In addition to the Garvey gambit, the cryptocurrency industry funded a withering campaign aimed at torpedoing Porter’s candidacy. Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Mar. 2024 In typical pregnancies, therefore, the female egg cells fuse with male sperm cells to generate embryos, while the female polar bodies wither away. Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 6 Mar. 2024 The withering away of Socice mirrors a worldwide phenomenon of poor farming areas losing people to urban centers. Andrew Higgins Vladimir Zivojinovic, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2024 The proposals usually wind up dividing Democrats and withering due to concerns over cost, opposition from private insurers and the complex bureaucracy that undergirds the nation’s delivery of healthcare. Anabel Sosa, Los Angeles Times, 21 Feb. 2024 But his withering contempt for the common people, and for political glad-handing, wins him enemies at home, leading him to ally with the Volscians and threaten Rome. Celia Wren, Washington Post, 6 Mar. 2024 The use of this parole authority has come under withering criticism from Republicans. Sarah Lapidus, The Arizona Republic, 29 Feb. 2024 Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft came under withering criticism this week from his Republican opponents in the race for governor following recent comments suggesting special benefits for veterans are unfair. Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 22 Feb. 2024 Retreating under withering artillery fire, drones and airstrikes is one of the most difficult military maneuvers, challenging commanders to minimize loss of life and allow units to fall back without ceding more land than intended. Eric Schmitt, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wither.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English widren; probably akin to Middle English weder weather

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

1607, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of wither was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near wither

Cite this Entry

“Wither.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wither. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

wither

verb
with·​er
ˈwit͟h-ər
withered; withering
-(ə-)riŋ
1
: to shrivel from or as if from loss of bodily moisture and especially sap
the crops withered during the drought
2
: to lose liveliness, force, or freshness
support for the candidate withered

Biographical Definition

Wither

biographical name

With·​er ˈwi-t͟hər How to pronounce Wither (audio)
George 1588–1667 English poet and pamphleteer

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