shriveled 1 of 2

variants or shrivelled

shriveled

2 of 2

verb

variants or shrivelled
past tense of shrivel

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of shriveled
Adjective
Papayas that are mostly green are not ripe, while those with many soft spots or darker, shriveled skin are overripe or spoiled. Sherri Gordon, Health, 2 Aug. 2026 Mango seeds should be firm and white, not shriveled or brown. Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 7 July 2026 Pests Yellowing or shriveled leaves and stunted growth can also be signs of pests. Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 29 June 2026 New stems can become shriveled and fall off the plant, and whole segments might drop if the plant struggles with depleted soil and a too-small pot. Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Dec. 2025
Verb
For decades, so much water has been taken that the river seldom meets the sea in Mexico, and its delta, once filled with lush wetlands and forests, has shriveled to stretches of dry riverbed. Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2026 Remove sprouts and avoid potatoes that are soft, shriveled, green, or have long sprouts to stay safe. Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner, Martha Stewart, 19 July 2026 Avoid berries that are soft or appear mushy or shriveled as these are indications that the fruit is past its prime. Stacey Lastoe, Southern Living, 14 July 2026 The skin split, the ends were shriveled, and the texture was limp. Dianna Douglas, NPR, 28 June 2026 Berries that are shriveled, soft, or visibly mushy are likely past their prime and won’t be appetizing. Jillian Kubala, Health, 30 Apr. 2026 Sales of photography, moving-image work, sculpture, and most conceptual work have shriveled up, except at the very highest levels. Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 6 Apr. 2026 Desert wildflowers shriveled up early this year due to the historic heat wave, leading to a lackluster sightseeing season and fewer visitors at some state parks. Ray Stern, AZCentral.com, 27 Mar. 2026 And then emergency snacks for my kid, often shriveled up raisins all over the bottom of the bag. Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 23 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shriveled
Adjective
  • The neural wiring of the obese mouse, on the right, withered.
    Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 28 July 2026
  • These misshapen and withered figurines—a teddy bear with a candle and a turkey in pointed shoes—looked over at the photos from low plinths in one corner of the gallery.
    Theo Belci, Artforum, 2 June 2026
Verb
  • Like so many baseball executives this time of the year, Harris looked drained.
    Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026
  • The missteps left stores understaffed and drained the company of the financial firepower needed to invest in upgrading them.
    Phil Wahba, Fortune, 3 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • His wizened next-door neighbors (Mary Woodvine and Adrian Rawlins) are younger, mistaking him for their son Luke, a former crew member of the Rose of Nevada who died by suicide.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2026
  • Nobody has ever wanted to watch the singer from Foreigner play baseball against Wally Joyner and a wizened Bobby Brady, and yet MTV leaned on the less-than-spectacular spectacle throughout the ‘90s.
    Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 12 June 2026
Verb
  • Cook the pasta until just shy of al dente (fresh pasta needs only 1-2 minutes; dried will take longer per the package).
    ABC News, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026
  • If the sunscreen has already dried, gently scrape away any excess product using an old toothbrush or plastic scraper.
    Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 6 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • On the first day of the hearing, July 22, Salah Sarsour's brother, Mohammad Sarsour, testified that his brother appeared gaunt and dirty and complained of pain and inadequate medical care during his detention in an Israeli jail.
    CBS News, CBS News, 5 Aug. 2026
  • In Roman art, invidia is sometimes depicted as a gaunt Medusa-like figure with serpents for hair.
    Jan Tumlir, Artforum, 5 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The perception of abundance had, once again, evaporated into nothing.
    Faith Hill, The Atlantic, 3 Aug. 2026
  • The employment that those companies had once provided evaporated.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 July 2026
Verb
  • Herbert Wayne Smith, 65, was arrested Wednesday in connection with the blaze that has destroyed seven structures and scorched more than 15 square miles (39 square km) of forest in the Sierra Nevada foothills of Calaveras County.
    ABC News, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026
  • In other air pollution news Wildfires have scorched thousands of acres in Washington state.
    Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Thirty-odd years after Communist rule collapsed in eastern Europe, Budapest finally feels revitalized.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Many of those on that flight were killed when a hotel they were being housed at collapsed in the quake.
    Rocio Munoz, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Shriveled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shriveled. Accessed 11 Aug. 2026.

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