WITHER Synonyms: 49 Similar and Opposite Words

wither

verb

ˈwi-t͟hər

Definition of wither

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

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 Those production lines were shut down after the Soviet breakup in 1991, and the industry has since mostly withered. — Andrew E. Kramer, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2026 The throuple moved into faculty housing, where Lakofski withered, depressed by life in a conventional apartment. — Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 30 Sep. 2026 Dull blades leave tears and ragged ends that cause grass blades to wither and bleach out more quickly. — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 26 Sep. 2026 But his support among Palestinians has withered during years of corruption and the sometimes violent advance of Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank. — Sam Metz, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wither

Recent Examples of Synonyms for wither

Verb

For about five days, the murres rotate between the drying pens — which blow warm air on the birds — and 80-degree pools of water inside the clinic.

— Stephanie Zappelli, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2026
Tyrese Haliburton needed the towel draped around his neck to dry the tears streaming down his cheeks.

— Peter Finney Jr, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of dry

Verb

Brown, though, didn't quite let perception fade away a couple of days later.

— CBS News, CBS News, 27 Oct. 2026
The question now is whether shoppers counting every dollar will keep paying for products like cashmere-soft diapers once the novelty fades and if inflation keeps biting.

— Phil Wahba, Fortune, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of fade

Verb

Former Mayor Bill de Blasio campaigned on ending the rides on day one of his administration but the effort wilted amid a backlash from unions and a big media blitz involving actor Liam Neeson.

— ABC News, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026
There are years of desire, wilting in silence, or the frenzied rhythm of regret.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of wilt

Verb

Conditions were expected to improve Saturday afternoon as winds weakened, with fair and dry weather forecast for the remainder of the weekend.

— Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 23 Oct. 2026
As trust in America weakens further, other wealthy nations will make the same calculation.

— Fareed Zakaria, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of weaken

Verb

Aside from obvious fixes like leaking ceilings and sagging floors, the layout, which was chopped up into a warren of tight quarters, needed a full gut to allow the space to breathe and gain more light.

— Juliet Izon, Architectural Digest, 27 Oct. 2026
The formula also has jojoba-seed extract, which is rich in vitamins to help soothe and tone, as well as turmeric root extract, which works to combat redness and discoloration that can come along with sagging.

— Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of sag

Verb

Since then, the Buffaloes have gone 18-26, including a 9-4 effort from a 2024 roster that including his son Shedeur Sanders, who is now with the Cleveland Browns, and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, now with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

— Chuck Schilken, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026
Pat Dowell, 3rd, and others have called the session for Monday to have the council clarify that the $75 million will go toward the city’s pensions now.

— The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2026