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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of wither
Voter turnout has plummeted to humiliating lows, and the regime’s pretense to popular mandate has withered.
—
Ali Vaez, Time, 15 Jan. 2026
Investor confidence has withered in the wake of a corruption scandal, as probes discovered that $2 billion in government funding for flood management projects had disappeared.
—Angelica Ang, Fortune, 14 Jan. 2026
The Sun Devils’ 3-point attack withered under the Horned Frogs’ defense, shooting 3-for-12 for the game.
—Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Jan. 2026
Jafar Panahi’s Palme d’Or-winning thriller possesses a withering critique of the cruelty and corruption of an authoritarian regime, combined with a blistering sense of humor.
—Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wither
Ali Vaez, Time, 15 Jan. 2026
Investor confidence has withered in the wake of a corruption scandal, as probes discovered that $2 billion in government funding for flood management projects had disappeared.
—Angelica Ang, Fortune, 14 Jan. 2026
The Sun Devils’ 3-point attack withered under the Horned Frogs’ defense, shooting 3-for-12 for the game.
—Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Jan. 2026
Jafar Panahi’s Palme d’Or-winning thriller possesses a withering critique of the cruelty and corruption of an authoritarian regime, combined with a blistering sense of humor.
—Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wither
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wither
Verb
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His mother, Ellen, wearing a gold top and black blazer, beamed with pride, holding a yellow napkin to dry her tears.—
Mike DeFabo,
New York Times,
28 Jan. 2026
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The family hoped jail would dry Jheck out, but neighbors snuck shabu into the facility.—
Sean Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The notion of grief gradually fades into the backdrop, finally re-emerging in a manner that is, thanks to the film’s lumpy tonal mixture, more confusing than emotionally cleansing.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
23 Jan. 2026
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But even a full-bodied brass section and some formidable multi-part harmonies can’t stop the song from fading into a 18-track lineup of anemic lounge-funk flips with near-uniform tempos.—
Hattie Lindert,
Pitchfork,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Stir in the greens until wilted.—
The Know,
Denver Post,
24 Jan. 2026
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Signs of Underwatering The most obvious sign of underwatering is wilting or drooping.—
Rachel Gillett,
Martha Stewart,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The finance minister’s comments come after Takaichi sent a fresh warning on Sunday that the government will be ready to take action amid a weakening yen and surging bond yields.—
Mia Glass,
Bloomberg,
28 Jan. 2026
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Over the past day, the trough that was keeping the storm track far away from us here has weakened, allowing the track to be closer to us.—
Ron Smiley,
CBS News,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Does the couch have a tendency to sag?—
Katherine McLaughlin,
Architectural Digest,
22 Jan. 2026
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Shoulders sagging, Charleigh set the wooden spoon down, steeling herself.—
Lizz Schumer,
PEOPLE,
20 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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Missing a golden opportunity How the two primary people of the gold discovery in California failed to cash in.—
Kurt Snibbe,
Oc Register,
24 Jan. 2026
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Likewise, the sugars produced by the green leaves of a scion cannot be shared with the lower stem and roots of the plant if the graft fails.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wither.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wither. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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