as in to evaporate
to become small and wrinkly usually as a result of dehydration
Without irrigation, these plants would shrivel (up) and die.
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Recent Examples of shrivel
Weather extremes are shrivelling harvests on India's tea plantations, endangering the future of an industry famed for beverages as refreshing as Assam and Darjeeling, while reshaping a global trade estimated at more than $10 billion a year.
—
Tora Agarwala, Reuters, 29 Aug. 2025
Iran's Long Drought Lake Urmia, among the largest in the Middle East, shrivels from 2020-2025.
—Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Aug. 2025
The animals have suffered from a disease that causes parts of them to shrivel and melt away.
—Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 5 Aug. 2025
When the Cold War ended, America’s defense-industrial base shrivelled.
—Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 14 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for shrivel
Tora Agarwala, Reuters, 29 Aug. 2025
Iran's Long Drought Lake Urmia, among the largest in the Middle East, shrivels from 2020-2025.
—Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Aug. 2025
The animals have suffered from a disease that causes parts of them to shrivel and melt away.
—Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 5 Aug. 2025
When the Cold War ended, America’s defense-industrial base shrivelled.
—Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 14 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for shrivel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shrivel
Verb
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Cases in which Black people were scammed, robbed, or even killed evaporated in court because of the testimony law.—
Equal Justice Initiative,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
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If the weather is cold enough and the lakes freeze over, less snow falls because the water can't evaporate into the air.—
Jalen Williams,
Freep.com,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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During the final week, the crew worked nonstop for sixty hours in a heat wave that parched energy and drained our bodies.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
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Instead, voters now are expressing concerns that high prices for groceries, electricity bills and housing are draining their bank accounts.—
Josh Boak,
Fortune,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Americans suffering from high cost of living, rising food and energy prices, and leaving them out to dry with no plan on our skyrocketing health insurance premiums.—
Deputy News Editor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Promptly dry the pan with a paper towel or lint-free tea towel.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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However, at the time, the film's withering reception proved to be something of a scarlet letter for Berkley's burgeoning movie career.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
11 Nov. 2025
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The 74-year-old New Yorker faced withering critiques for not shutting down government in the spring.—
Fortune,
Fortune,
11 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The fire had engulfed McCarty, scorching 73% of his body, leaving him with scars that would last an entire lifetime to come.—
Zoey Lyttle,
PEOPLE,
6 Nov. 2025
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Without the trees, Smith said, the street is a beacon for scorching heat.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Those shows come from a time when fisheries were collapsing and regulations meant to save them forced fishermen into a daily sprint to the bottom.—
Dan Morrison,
USA Today,
7 Nov. 2025
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Gilbert is hardly the only celebrity lending their support to Ryder’s Law, which was named after a horse who died in Manhattan in 2022 after collapsing in the August heat.—
Brie Stimson,
FOXNews.com,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
To me, there’s nothing more upsetting than excitedly going in the fridge to pull out ingredients for a crisp salad or plate up delicious fruit only to find everything has wilted, gotten mushy, and just plain ol’ sad.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
11 Nov. 2025
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Those defeats on the road have had much in common with slow starts giving the hosts the initiative, followed by the sight of Slot’s side wilting under pressure while offering little as an attacking force.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
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For one night, under cold rain and flickering red lights, the noise faded.—
Ira Gorawara,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
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Once summer flowers fade and growth stops, start cleaning up the garden.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
8 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shrivel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shrivel. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
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