as in evaporates
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 shrivels
The human heart shrivels away in space, but researchers have found that mini-hearts grown from human stem cells sprout in space significantly faster than in labs on Earth.
—
Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 3 May 2026
Drought shrivels the grapes; excessive heat deprives the juice of acidity; too much rain results in rampant mold.
—Nicola Twilley, New Yorker, 5 Jan. 2026
Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 3 May 2026
Drought shrivels the grapes; excessive heat deprives the juice of acidity; too much rain results in rampant mold.
—Nicola Twilley, New Yorker, 5 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shrivels
Verb
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As the water evaporates, the artwork disappears, leaving a blank canvas ready for next time.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
4 May 2026
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Like water, alcohol evaporates and carries heat away from your body.—
Yunyao Li,
The Conversation,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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For phones, there's not much that drains their battery as fast as playing demanding games, and PC games designed for dedicated desktop and laptop hardware are certainly demanding.—
Jon Martindale,
PC Magazine,
7 May 2026
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Bargain-bin potting mix often drains poorly or contains few nutrients to begin with.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Miami Herald,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The all-in-one station empties the dust, washes, and dries its own mop pads.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
7 May 2026
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The soil gets watered, then gradually dries before the next round.—
Jessica Safavimehr,
Southern Living,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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According to our models, when a massive, Population III star reaches the end of its life, its core collapses into a black hole, but the resulting supernova explosion isn’t energetic enough to blow the entire star apart.—
Jacek Krywko,
ArsTechnica,
13 May 2026
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These make tunneling more efficient and safer, by maintaining constant pressure in the area surrounding the subway tunnel, making collapses virtually impossible, Metro reported.—
Steve Scauzillo,
Daily News,
7 May 2026
Verb
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Tucson will also be at or near record temperatures through March 27 as the state’s unprecedented heat wave scorches on, the weather service said.—
Ray Stern,
AZCentral.com,
25 Mar. 2026
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As the world around them scorches under record heat, a family walks into the woods, asking what the future holds in this thermal dystopia.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
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After the rogue’s gallery is introduced early on, nearly everyone except for Tim, Elliot, and Rebecca fades into the background, although delightfully, Emma Thompson nails her brief comedic role as a brusque solicitor handling George’s last will and testament.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
8 May 2026
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This weekend, the moon fades toward last quarter, opening up darker skies with each passing night.—
Jamie Carter,
Space.com,
8 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shrivels.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shrivels. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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