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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of wither
Its unwillingness or inability to act in the face of the offensive brings home, more powerfully than anything else, just how much this branch of government has withered away in recent decades.
—
Noah Feldman, Twin Cities, 24 Dec. 2025
Ahmed al-Jash’ami, a former farmer from Iraq’s central Babel province, recalls watching his father die heartbroken as dwindling water supplies caused their orchard to wither and turn barren.
—Mohammed Tawfeeq, CNN Money, 21 Dec. 2025
The ruling party played a secondary role compared to the presidency, withering away and not even meeting for years.
—Yonatan Morse, The Conversation, 19 Dec. 2025
These talking points, which have been embraced by Republicans and Democrats alike, call on nationalism to reboot an industry withered by decades of retrenchment.
—Colin Jones, New Yorker, 18 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wither
Noah Feldman, Twin Cities, 24 Dec. 2025
Ahmed al-Jash’ami, a former farmer from Iraq’s central Babel province, recalls watching his father die heartbroken as dwindling water supplies caused their orchard to wither and turn barren.
—Mohammed Tawfeeq, CNN Money, 21 Dec. 2025
The ruling party played a secondary role compared to the presidency, withering away and not even meeting for years.
—Yonatan Morse, The Conversation, 19 Dec. 2025
These talking points, which have been embraced by Republicans and Democrats alike, call on nationalism to reboot an industry withered by decades of retrenchment.
—Colin Jones, New Yorker, 18 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wither
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wither
Verb
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After dinner, either load and run the dishwasher or handwash dishes and add them to the drying rack.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
21 Jan. 2026
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Searing creates the crisp, golden crust; baking cooks the chicken evenly through without drying it out.—
John Becker,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The California Association of Realtors also predicts that, as economic uncertainty fades and rates begin to decline more steadily, the housing market should improve throughout 2026.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
12 Jan. 2026
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As human activity and food waste returned, those differences appeared to fade in later generations.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The Mets, meanwhile, seek front-line starting pitching after last year’s rotation struggled to provide length and wilted down the stretch.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
6 Jan. 2026
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Instead, wait until late winter or early spring, when the pink and white flowers have wilted.—
Helena Madden,
Martha Stewart,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
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When leaders visibly adjust decisions based on input, silence weakens.—
Benjamin Laker,
Forbes.com,
20 Jan. 2026
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Wet wipes contain alcohol and chemicals that strip natural oils, damage materials like leather, and weaken shoe adhesives.—
Jamie Cuccinelli,
Martha Stewart,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The fragile skeleton of her ego threatened to snap under the pressure of the animal forces that pressed down on her consciousness, her narrative mind sagging and distended beneath pitiless and grandiose feeling.—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
11 Jan. 2026
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Pre-festival enthusiasm sagged compared to the inaugural year.—
Théoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Most of them go deep into the memory vault of childhood, recalling fishing trips and family gatherings.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Jan. 2026
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Nordstrom Lucky Brand Fair Isle Shawl-Collar Cardigan Both Lopez’s and Hudson’s sweaters appear to be from Polo Ralph Lauren (the former’s looks like this one that's no longer available, while the latter’s resembles this one that goes for $798).—
Alyssa Grabinski,
PEOPLE,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
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If the settlement failed to cover the amount owed, some funders went after the women for the remainder.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 Jan. 2026
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Owner Mark Davis has failed for years to find answers, and this time around, Tom Brady appears to be taking control of the rebuild.—
J.J. Bailey,
New York Times,
12 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wither.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wither. Accessed 22 Jan. 2026.
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