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 Nathan Hochman has been the subject of withering criticism from Mayor Karen Bass, former cops and even some of his own prosecutors. — Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 7 Aug. 2026 Atlanta City Council is directing city departments to beef up efforts to protect residents from the growing threat of extreme heat after the city recently faced withering critiques from homeless services groups for its response to a recent heatwave. — Drew Kann, AJC.com, 4 Aug. 2026 The United States allowed many of its strategic industries, such as shipbuilding, to wither. — Phillips Payson O’Brien, The Atlantic, 3 Aug. 2026 Squash plants are withered, siphoned to oblivion by squash bugs. — Anthony Reardon, Kansas City Star, 2 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wither

Recent Examples of Synonyms for wither

Verb

That means my greasy microfiber cloths do get washed with my cotton drying towels, along with oven mitts, linen napkins, and the seat pads for my counter stools (my kids somehow manage to trash them every week).

— Emily Farris, Bon Appetit Magazine, 11 Aug. 2026
Once your produce is fully dried, store it in an airtight container so moisture cannot creep back in.

— Lauren Schuster, Kansas City Star, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of dry

Verb

Similar bouts of traders closing short positions in early June and early July initially pushed prices higher before the gains eventually faded.

— Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 18 Aug. 2026
Isabelle Huppert and Virginie Efira led Farhadi’s French-language Parallel Tales, a film about Sylvie (Huppert), a fading novelist in search of inspiration for her next book, who starts spying on her neighbors across the street.

— Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of fade

Verb

Harvesting early is especially important for leafy greens, which quickly wilt in the afternoon sun and may not last for very long in the fridge.

— Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 14 Aug. 2026
Other key signs include dead grass, wilting plants, or root damage near the mounds, as the tunneling can negatively impact your yard and garden.

— Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of wilt

Verb

That makes the world a more dangerous place, where a mistake by just one actor could ignite a regional firestorm, with a US military weakened by Iran unable to ensure American security.

— Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
Hurricane Lala weakened to a tropical storm Sunday after skirting Hawaii without making landfall, but it wasn’t done punishing the Big Island with hurricane-force gusts.

— Alexa St. John, Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2026

Definition of weaken

Verb

That can lead to structural problems, from drawer fronts pulling off to flimsy drawer bottoms sagging or falling out under the weight of their contents.

— Rachel Silva, Martha Stewart, 14 Aug. 2026
Either of the Serie A strikers would boost the sagging Five Stripes (3-12-3) for the rest of the MLS schedule.

— Michael Cunningham, AJC.com, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of sag

Verb

But Vicki immediately goes past Meredith Marks (disengaging) to Amanda Frances (opening her laptop and working), even as the others try to earn their paychecks by poking at her.

— Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 17 Aug. 2026
The search is underway for a person who went missing while jet skiing off the Long Beach coast on Sunday night.

— Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026