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
In about six weeks (time varies by species and weather conditions), the foliage will begin to turn yellow and wither to brown.
—
Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 9 Apr. 2025
Deliberative and participatory local democracy of the sort that has a long pedigree in America is withering as a result.
— Made By History, TIME, 25 Mar. 2025
Habba's work during the trial also included perhaps the most important cross-examination of her career: a withering, hours-long questioning of Mr. Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen.
—Graham Kates, CBS News, 24 Mar. 2025
Rafael van der Vaart, formerly of Real Madrid, offered perhaps the most withering assessment during a discussion of the incident on Dutch TV channel Ziggo Sports.
—Liam Twomey, New York Times, 1 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for wither
Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 9 Apr. 2025
Deliberative and participatory local democracy of the sort that has a long pedigree in America is withering as a result.
— Made By History, TIME, 25 Mar. 2025
Habba's work during the trial also included perhaps the most important cross-examination of her career: a withering, hours-long questioning of Mr. Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen.
—Graham Kates, CBS News, 24 Mar. 2025
Rafael van der Vaart, formerly of Real Madrid, offered perhaps the most withering assessment during a discussion of the incident on Dutch TV channel Ziggo Sports.
—Liam Twomey, New York Times, 1 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for wither
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wither
Verb
-
The newly extended drying hanger system at Crystal’s denim factory in Cambodia enhanced the capacity of the pre-drying process, reducing the dryer’s operation time by 20 minutes on average.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
19 May 2025
-
The mop combo feature is great thanks to the drying capabilities.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
19 May 2025
Verb
-
Advisors who can build trust and act as a central coordinator for these services are invaluable—and often become long-term partners even after the spotlight fades.—
Jason Katz,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2025
-
As threats from insurgents faded, crackdowns by an authoritarian government surged.—
Mitra Taj,
New York Times,
17 May 2025
Verb
-
Not so long ago, Newcastle was accused of wilting under the pressure of the biggest matches, but the win over Chelsea is just the latest example of how the team now thrives off them.—
Harry De Cosemo,
Forbes.com,
12 May 2025
-
During hot weather, withhold water until the plants begin to wilt to shock the plant into setting flowers for the following spring.—
Jeanette Marantos,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2025
Verb
-
Others may develop it after pregnancy, as the muscles and ligaments around the uterus can loosen or weaken.—
Brandi Jones,
Health,
10 May 2025
-
This weakens their ability to tailor experiences and erodes marketing efficiency.—
Amit Jhawar,
Forbes.com,
9 May 2025
Verb
-
While Donald Trump’s return sparked surges early in the year, including brief all-time highs across major tokens, prices have largely sagged.—
Catherine Baab,
Quartz,
9 May 2025
-
Even when his overall approval ratings sagged, voters consistently gave him his highest marks on the economy.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 May 2025
Verb
-
So now the mystery of high U.S. interest rates makes sense: keep the dollar strong to keep the confetti going and the runaway government spending funded.—
Clem Chambers,
Forbes.com,
19 May 2025
-
Since the video of their antics went viral, TikTok users can't get enough of their unconventional friendship.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 May 2025
Verb
-
Earlier this year, after failing to meet its own October deadline for the rebate’s relaunch, the government passed a measure allowing producers to claim expenses accrued in the final months of 2024 and the start of 2025.—
Christopher Vourlias,
Variety,
18 May 2025
-
The final lot, a tempera painting by Jacob Lawrence from 1958, failed to sell, providing a rather awkward round of applause to close the evening.—
Robb Report,
Robb Report,
18 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wither.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wither. Accessed 24 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share