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

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 Houseplants would wither and die. Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2025 And defense counsel would have – cross-examination would have been withering. Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2025 Most of those who shaped or even marginally influenced the events of October 7th are gone, leaving Gaza’s authority withered to the point that even managing the hostages has become paralyzingly difficult. Mohammed R. Mhawish, New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2025 The platform has been heavily criticized over the last year by users who’ve said their smart home gadgets have been left to wither as Google moves away from Assistant and focuses on Gemini. PC Magazine, 8 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for wither
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wither
Verb
  • Americans suffering from high cost of living, rising food and energy prices, and leaving them out to dry with no plan on our skyrocketing health insurance premiums.
    Deputy News Editor, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Promptly dry the pan with a paper towel or lint-free tea towel.
    Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 5 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Mankinlu Maple Leaf Solar Pathway Lights As daylight starts to fade earlier, these cute pathway lights add both charm and function to your yard.
    Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Oct. 2025
  • The Trail Blazers faded in the fourth quarter en route to a 118-114 loss to the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night.
    Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Add collards; once wilted, add mustard greens.
    Melinda Salchert, Southern Living, 31 Oct. 2025
  • Napa cabbage is an option, just note that the leaves are thinner, more tender and apt to wilt more than green cabbage.
    Robin Miller, AZCentral.com, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • At the same time, leaving grass too long over the winter can shade the soil and weaken the grass.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 31 Oct. 2025
  • In addition to the GOP leaders, most rank-and-file Senate Republicans also oppose repealing the filibuster that’s been slowly weakened by both parties in recent decades for Executive Branch and judicial nominees.
    Ramsey Touchberry, The Washington Examiner, 31 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The structures were sagging under the weight of so many books.
    Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 20 Oct. 2025
  • The dilapidated wooden trim and sagging porticos were spruced up a few years ago after preservationists complained to the Landmarks Preservation Commission, but the upstairs windows reveal glimpses of peeling paint, crumbling plaster, and collapsing ceilings inside.
    Kim Velsey, Curbed, 20 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Its share price collapsed a few months after going public, losing a third of its value since the start of the year before Monday's news.
    NPR, NPR, 4 Nov. 2025
  • The honks of wild Canada geese, for instance, fresh out of the Arctic and now high in the clouds going south, signal a change in seasons for me.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 4 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Joseph Brusuelas, chief economist at RSM, said in a blog post on Wednesday that the currency intervention has failed and predicted a 15%-30% plunge for the peso is highly likely if voters reject Milei again.
    Preston Fore, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Congress failed to pass a budget or temporary funding measure before the federal fiscal year ended on October 1, forcing many federal agencies to cease all non-mandatory operations.
    Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wither.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wither. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on wither

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!