1
as in to dry
to lose liveliness, force, or freshness
shortly after the moon landing, interest in the space program withered the old man seemed to wither suddenly upon turning 80
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to fade
to lose bodily strength or vigor
if he's left on his own, he'll just wither and die
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 wither
The ask withered under criticism from legislative leaders in both parties.
—
Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 14 May 2026
Known as the Critical Medicines Act, the initiative seeks to avoid the kinds of withering drug shortages that were seen during the Covid-19 pandemic.
—Ed Silverman, STAT, 12 May 2026
What becomes clear is that Yesteryear is not actually the withering critique of faux-trad influencers it’s been marketed as.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 11 May 2026
Instead of a withering blast that annihilates you instantly, the real killer would be a highly elevated risk of cancer and degenerative diseases over time.
—Alan Bradley, Space.com, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for wither
Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 14 May 2026
Known as the Critical Medicines Act, the initiative seeks to avoid the kinds of withering drug shortages that were seen during the Covid-19 pandemic.
—Ed Silverman, STAT, 12 May 2026
What becomes clear is that Yesteryear is not actually the withering critique of faux-trad influencers it’s been marketed as.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 11 May 2026
Instead of a withering blast that annihilates you instantly, the real killer would be a highly elevated risk of cancer and degenerative diseases over time.
—Alan Bradley, Space.com, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for wither
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wither
Verb
-
The store offers an extensive botanical shop and with a large assortment of both faux and dried botanicals for DIY arrangements or on-site styling help from an expert.—
Fousia Abdullahi,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
2 June 2026
-
Cows produce more colostrum than their calves need, so the excess is collected, pasteurized, dried and packaged for human consumption.—
Suzanne Nuyen,
NPR,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
While desirable homes still sell quickly, frenzied bidding wars have faded.—
Sara B. Hansen,
Denver Post,
29 May 2026
-
Deadheading Is Another Form Of Pinching Back Deadheading is similar to pinching back, but it is done once the flowers begin to fade.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
Under Bednar’s watch, the Avs wilted under the LED lights washing over Bruno Mars Drive and The Strip.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
27 May 2026
-
Mitch Marner, who was supposed to be an ultra-talented player who wilted under the pressure of the playoffs, found another level to his game.—
Jesse Granger,
New York Times,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
The Reserve Bank of Australia will likely focus on the strength of private demand before factoring in the conflict, alongside inflation risks stemming from weak productivity and rising unit labor costs, according to Stenner, who expects household consumption to weaken in the second quarter.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
3 June 2026
-
Critics counter that scarcity alone does not guarantee value if investor demand weakens.—
Sharon Wu,
USA Today,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
Trump’s sagging approval rating comes as Democrats have a chance at outperforming Republicans in midterms, with Emerson’s May poll showing Democrats with a 9-point advantage on the generic congressional ballot, though 9% of voters were undecided.—
Sara Dorn,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
-
Stock performance by Salesforce on Thursday, which sagged despite an impressive beat on profits and revenues, is emblematic of the troubles facing software.—
Tobias Burns,
CNBC,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
Butlers here are called Aris Meehas, a historical Maldivian reference to someone assigned to serve royalty—thankfully, interactions are more easy-going than overly deferential.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
1 June 2026
-
After more than five innings of the Bulldogs trailing Liberty by one, struggling to get anything going, the Georgia third baseman crushed a two-run home run to left field.—
Sarah Spencer,
AJC.com,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
However, the anticipated state finals clash was not to be as Calabasas dropped the baton in the Southern Section finals and failed to advance.—
Steve Galluzzo,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
-
It has been cited seven times by the AQMD since 2012 for such things as failing to report breakdowns and failing to maintain a system that measures and records temperatures.—
Jason Henry,
Oc Register,
30 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wither.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wither. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
