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)
Synonyms of withernext

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 L. 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
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Verb
What becomes clear is that Yesteryear is not actually the withering critique of faux-trad influencers it’s been marketed as. Literary Hub, 14 May 2026 The ask withered under criticism from legislative leaders in both parties. Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 14 May 2026 Known as the Critical Medicines Act, the initiative seeks to avoid the kinds of withering drug shortages that were seen during the Covid-19 pandemic. Ed Silverman, STAT, 12 May 2026 What becomes clear is that Yesteryear is not actually the withering critique of faux-trad influencers it’s been marketed as. Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 11 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for wither

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wither.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wither. Accessed 18 May. 2026.

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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