variants
or shrivelled
as in withered
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
variants
or shrivelled
as in drained
to become small and wrinkly usually as a result of dehydration
Without irrigation, these plants would shrivel (up) and die.
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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
Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 16 Feb. 2026
To avoid finding shriveled potatoes in your pantry, start with fresh, firm potatoes.
—Lauren David, Southern Living, 15 Feb. 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
Lighter pieces that look shriveled signals that the ginger root has lost most of its moisture from sitting in storage or on the shelf too long.
—Jillian Kubala, Health, 11 Dec. 2025
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
Pour the berries onto a plate or tray, and carefully remove any that are shriveled, moldy, or mushy, along with any stems or leaves.
—Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 25 Feb. 2026
After the blooms on your moth orchid (Phalaenopsis) have shriveled and fallen off the plant, you're left with a long, bare green stem (technically called a spike).
—Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Feb. 2026
Many plants look shriveled up and dead, but are actually just conserving water and energy during the cold winter months.
—Ashley Chalmers, The Spruce, 11 Feb. 2026
In earlier work, Rosenblatt’s team watched as some cells dumped their water and shriveled up like raisins before being extruded; indeed, this shrinkage seemed to kick off the process.
—Elise Cutts, Quanta Magazine, 12 Jan. 2026
Even if a single berry is moldy, leaky, or shriveled, this could mean the berries are not fresh or juicy at all, says Hall.
—Kirsten Nunez, Martha Stewart, 31 Dec. 2025
Her once fearsome Cantonese-speaking maternal grandfather is shrivelled and ailing.
—E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 17 Dec. 2025
Adjective
Properly watering succulents keeps them healthy and prevents problems like root rot and shriveled leaves.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 16 Feb. 2026
To avoid finding shriveled potatoes in your pantry, start with fresh, firm potatoes.
—Lauren David, Southern Living, 15 Feb. 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
Lighter pieces that look shriveled signals that the ginger root has lost most of its moisture from sitting in storage or on the shelf too long.
—Jillian Kubala, Health, 11 Dec. 2025
Verb
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
Pour the berries onto a plate or tray, and carefully remove any that are shriveled, moldy, or mushy, along with any stems or leaves.
—Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 25 Feb. 2026
After the blooms on your moth orchid (Phalaenopsis) have shriveled and fallen off the plant, you're left with a long, bare green stem (technically called a spike).
—Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Feb. 2026
Many plants look shriveled up and dead, but are actually just conserving water and energy during the cold winter months.
—Ashley Chalmers, The Spruce, 11 Feb. 2026
In earlier work, Rosenblatt’s team watched as some cells dumped their water and shriveled up like raisins before being extruded; indeed, this shrinkage seemed to kick off the process.
—Elise Cutts, Quanta Magazine, 12 Jan. 2026
Even if a single berry is moldy, leaky, or shriveled, this could mean the berries are not fresh or juicy at all, says Hall.
—Kirsten Nunez, Martha Stewart, 31 Dec. 2025
Her once fearsome Cantonese-speaking maternal grandfather is shrivelled and ailing.
—E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 17 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shriveled
Adjective
-
Soft winds threaten to blow the withered flowers away.—
Celina Tebor,
CNN Money,
19 Mar. 2026
-
Dead fruit rotted on withered evergreens, remnants of a record-cold February.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The escalation in the Middle East has drained both attention and resources away from Ukraine, Vadym, 31, added.—
Yuliya Talmazan,
NBC news,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Gilgeous-Alexander was 5 of 15 from the floor in the first three quarters, but drained all three of his shots in the fourth.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
In front of the butcher’s near where the painter lives, a vendor, wizened and bent, sets up shop.—
Amir Ahmadi Arian,
The Dial,
15 Jan. 2026
-
But more alarming than the ways in which this physical space could turn against us was the simple metaphor of a wizened little man pulling a boat down a river in the dark.—
Ann Patchett,
New Yorker,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Residue or dried food was found on 15% of all dishes.—
Eleanor Nash,
Kansas City Star,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Then take out the shelves and drawers to be washed and dried like dishes.—
Lori Keong,
Architectural Digest,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
As Alpha waits for the results of blood tests, she is startled by the sudden appearance of a gaunt, jittery stranger in their apartment.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Lie’s Evans is gaunt and distant, a shy man hidden behind a veil of cigarette smoke, unable to process — or even express — his grief.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Netflix’s domineering presence, one that permeated every corner of a typically sacred day at the ballpark, had mercifully evaporated.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Demand for the vaccine had evaporated.—
David Blumenthal,
STAT,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Los Angeles Lakers All-NBA and All-Star guard Luka Doncic went scorched earth in March.—
Megan Armstrong,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Administrators gave Matt McMahon – who inherited Wade’s post-NCAA scorched earth landscape and a roster of exactly zero players – the boot, and signed Wade to a seven-year deal.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Some players collapsed onto the turf in joyful tears.—
Albert Samaha,
New Yorker,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Estrada Juarez collapsed into her daughter’s embrace.—
Mathew Miranda,
Sacbee.com,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shriveled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shriveled. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
