shriveling 1 of 2

noun

variants or shrivelling
as in wilting

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shriveling

2 of 2

verb

variants or shrivelling
present participle of shrivel
as in evaporating
to become small and wrinkly usually as a result of dehydration Without irrigation, these plants would shrivel (up) and die.

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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 shriveling
Noun
Unsettling events like these are taking place in the context of climate warming that’s occurring at nearly four times the rate of the global average, and resulting long-term shriveling of the Arctic’s floating lid of sea ice. — Tom Yulsman, Time, 23 Feb. 2026 Wrinkling, shriveling, spines falling off, discoloration, and drooping are all signs of underwatering. — Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Feb. 2026 And with the shriveling of Kate Spade (and excluding Stuart Weitzman, which Tapestry recently unloaded), Coach represents nearly 80% of Tapestry sales. — Phil Wahba, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2025
Verb
Store limes in your fridge’s crisper drawer, which has a lower humidity level that keeps the skins from shriveling. — Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 8 Mar. 2026 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 Concern is also growing over how salaries have lagged behind inflation, shriveling in value and squeezing household budgets. — Isabel Debre, Fortune, 11 Feb. 2026 The industry has been shriveling for years. — Seth Yudof, Rolling Stone, 20 Nov. 2025 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shriveling
  1. wilting
  2. evaporating
  3. fading
  4. draining
  5. waning
  6. drying
  7. declining
  8. collapsing
Noun
  • Mulch around the plant to preserve soil moisture and continue this watering routine until the wilting stops.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 15 July 2026
  • Surround the containers of cuttings with clear plastic, which provides high humidity to prevent wilting and speed rooting.
    — Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 July 2026
Definition of wilting
Verb
  • Book review sections are evaporating; NPR has been eviscerated; and social media followings no longer seem to be reliably converting into book sales.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 July 2026
  • This means more of the sun's energy goes into evaporating plant and soil moisture as opposed to causing the temperature to rise.
    — Trey Fulbright, CBS News, 1 July 2026
Definition of evaporating
Noun
  • These give the Synactif Daytime Moisturizer texture-smoothing, tone-evening, contour-sculpting, cell-renewing, age-spot-fading, and wrinkle-plumping properties.
    — Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 13 July 2026
  • Moreover, washing certain fabrics in hot water can do more harm than good, leading to shrinking, fading, texture changes, and other types of damage.
    — Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 4 July 2026
Definition of fading
Verb
  • But if the drain line is clogged or the drain pan is not tilted appropriately, then this could prevent the moisture from draining away.
    — Timothy Dale, The Spruce, 10 July 2026
  • Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, whose agency oversees the National Park Service, told conservative podcaster Katie Miller in an interview released earlier this week that the new round of draining was planned.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 10 July 2026
Definition of draining
Noun
  • But Wells points out that in addition to the natural waning of the virus, other public health measures, such as vaccination and isolation, are instrumental in stopping its spread.
    — Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 21 Aug. 2025
Definition of waning
Verb
  • Place the bottle parts on a drying rack or a clean towel with the mouth of the bottle facing down.
    — Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 July 2026
  • Scientists at Pennsylvania State University have developed a novel conductive ink that can be painted directly onto the skin in colorful custom designs, turning into a functional electrode for biomonitoring after drying.
    — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 14 July 2026
Definition of drying
Noun
  • Reports showing inflation and unemployment declining have subsequently been released, and a nominee for the Federal Reserve chairman role has since been announced.
    — Matt Richardson, CBS News, 26 Feb. 2026
Definition of declining
Verb
  • Elsewhere along the Black River, campers clung to collapsing structures and trees as floodwaters surged, while search crews continued looking for a woman swept away with her dogs.
    — Hallie Golden, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026
  • At the same time, though, the league is far more reliant on a regional TV model that’s currently in the midst of collapsing.
    — John Cassillo, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
Definition of collapsing

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Shriveling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shriveling. Accessed 17 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on shriveling

Nglish: Translation of shriveling for Spanish Speakers

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