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
The Great Salt Lake has been shriveling up for decades.
—
Evan Bush, NBC news, 7 Mar. 2026
Winter The goal in winter is to water cacti just enough to prevent them from shriveling and wrinkling.
—Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Feb. 2026
While watering too often can lead to mushy leaves and root rot, watering too little will cause the leaves to turn brown and shrivel up.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 16 Feb. 2026
Before kick-off, their home record is identical to Newcastle’s away — won two, drawn four, lost six — but when the game begins, the similarities shrivel.
—George Caulkin, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shrivel
Evan Bush, NBC news, 7 Mar. 2026
Winter The goal in winter is to water cacti just enough to prevent them from shriveling and wrinkling.
—Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Feb. 2026
While watering too often can lead to mushy leaves and root rot, watering too little will cause the leaves to turn brown and shrivel up.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 16 Feb. 2026
Before kick-off, their home record is identical to Newcastle’s away — won two, drawn four, lost six — but when the game begins, the similarities shrivel.
—George Caulkin, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shrivel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shrivel
Verb
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Bailey said his team had a handshake deal via Bucchino to take in 50% of concessions revenue, but that evaporated when the then-GM was fired.—
Tris Wykes,
Twin Cities,
10 Apr. 2026
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The Gears were cruising when the league declared bankruptcy and evaporated the next November.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Avoid heavy and poorly draining soil.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
9 Apr. 2026
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But the ongoing crisis is a shock to the current account, as oil and product inflows have drained, said Brad Setser, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, a think tank.—
Anniek Bao,Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The lint-free towels measure 16 by 26 inches and promise to dry without leaving behind remnants of fabric fibers, too.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Spray dry toilet paper with cleansing, soothing and refreshing Pristine to create an instant wet wipe that is actually flushable and safe for your sewer and septic systems.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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At work, communication determines whether ideas wither or rise.—
Ryan Roslansky
Aneesh Raman,
CNBC,
31 Mar. 2026
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Then the strength of their team withered and left them still seeking their first victory under new manager Craig Stammen.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Last Tuesday night in Toronto, the Blue Jays’ Andres Gimenez scorched a 106 mph line drive back to the mound and off Feltner’s right hip.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
5 Apr. 2026
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Higher heat encourages better skin texture, but balance is key to keep the potato from scorching before the interior softens through.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The innermost rim formed later, when a mountain at the crater’s center collapsed.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
4 Apr. 2026
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Eventually, Pearlene collapsed and died inside a makeshift bathroom in the family’s trailer, which had no running water or electricity.—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In summer, water daily to keep the soil moist so plants don’t wilt.—
Nan Sterman,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
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The high that day ended up being unseasonably warm at 85°F, so by the afternoon, the hydrangeas had wilted completely.—
Tessa Cooper,
Southern Living,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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When momentum faded, the stock rolled over, and those same lines flipped to resistance on the way down.—
Frank Cappelleri,
CNBC,
10 Apr. 2026
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The letters are printed on the sides of the keys rather than the top, which prevents fading.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shrivel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shrivel. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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