as in shriveled
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1
as in dried
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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2
as in faded
to lose bodily strength or vigor
if he's left on his own, he'll just wither and die
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Recent Examples of withered
John Hollinger, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
Hidden behind a large flowerpot with a single withered flower, the windows are covered over by a grayish-yellow curtain, brittle with lager fumes.
—Zuzana Říhová, Literary Hub, 26 Sep. 2025
During Marie’s private lesson with Cipher, Cate and Jordan infiltrate the dean’s house, finding a withered old man in a hyperbaric chamber.
—Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2025
Given America’s withered afloat support capabilities, shepherding fleets of small craft around Cape Horn is an almost insurmountable logistical challenge.
—Craig Hooper, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Nick Bowlin, The Frontier, 16 Feb. 2026
Last year’s version, which withered on the Senate’s calendar, also included religious organizations.
—Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 15 Jan. 2026
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
Russian-Cuban ties withered after the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, plunging Cuba into a grueling depression.
—Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
Its unwillingness or inability to act in the face of the offensive brings home, more powerfully than anything else, just how much this branch of government has withered away in recent decades.
—Noah Feldman, Twin Cities, 24 Dec. 2025
Nineties rockers withered under his jaded stare.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 18 Dec. 2025
Adjective
Among other moves this offseason, the Kings traded Jonas Valančiūnas for the withered remains of Dario Šarić and passed on a golden opportunity to lock in 3-and-D wing Keon Ellis at a value rate by declining his team option and re-signing him as a restricted free agent.
—John Hollinger, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
Hidden behind a large flowerpot with a single withered flower, the windows are covered over by a grayish-yellow curtain, brittle with lager fumes.
—Zuzana Říhová, Literary Hub, 26 Sep. 2025
During Marie’s private lesson with Cipher, Cate and Jordan infiltrate the dean’s house, finding a withered old man in a hyperbaric chamber.
—Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2025
Given America’s withered afloat support capabilities, shepherding fleets of small craft around Cape Horn is an almost insurmountable logistical challenge.
—Craig Hooper, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Verb
Trees near their sprinklers withered and died.
—Nick Bowlin, The Frontier, 16 Feb. 2026
Last year’s version, which withered on the Senate’s calendar, also included religious organizations.
—Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 15 Jan. 2026
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
Russian-Cuban ties withered after the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, plunging Cuba into a grueling depression.
—Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
Its unwillingness or inability to act in the face of the offensive brings home, more powerfully than anything else, just how much this branch of government has withered away in recent decades.
—Noah Feldman, Twin Cities, 24 Dec. 2025
Nineties rockers withered under his jaded stare.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 18 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for withered
Adjective
-
Properly watering succulents keeps them healthy and prevents problems like root rot and shriveled leaves.—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
16 Feb. 2026
-
To avoid finding shriveled potatoes in your pantry, start with fresh, firm potatoes.—
Lauren David,
Southern Living,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Beyond cost and cleanliness In conventional battery production, active materials, carbon additives and binders are mixed into a wet slurry, coated onto metal foil and dried.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Silgranit sinks can be cleaned with a mixture of dish soap and vinegar, which will need to sit for at least an hour if there are any hard water deposits before being rinsed and dried.—
Lauren Wicks,
Southern Living,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
One year after their deaths, those closest to Hackman and Arakawa say their legacy is not defined by tragedy, but by devotion — a partnership rooted in privacy, dignity and a love story that endured long after Hollywood faded from view.—
Stephanie Giang-Paunon , Larry Fink,
FOXNews.com,
18 Feb. 2026
-
The shock that we could be attacked on our own soil by people who infiltrated the country with the purpose of attacking it has faded.—
Boston Herald editorial staff,
Boston Herald,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
In front of the butcher’s near where the painter lives, a vendor, wizened and bent, sets up shop.—
Amir Ahmadi Arian,
The Dial,
15 Jan. 2026
-
But more alarming than the ways in which this physical space could turn against us was the simple metaphor of a wizened little man pulling a boat down a river in the dark.—
Ann Patchett,
New Yorker,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The Mutawa, as the religious police are known, had their powers significantly weakened in 2016.—
Matthew Martin,
semafor.com,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Well, he's weakened the regulations on clean cars.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Nitibhon, a Thai supermodel, plays her tycoon as comically drab, keeping her gaunt cheeks slack to emphasize her character’s hollowness.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Regina was standing by the window now, looking even more gaunt under the artificial light of the bulb behind her and the faint glow of the sunrise in front, which barely managed to filter through the balcony awning.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Monster bamboo, bougainvillea, and banana plants crashed in from the roadside; a tin roof sagged under the weight of a gaggle of marabou storks; baboons plundered trash cans at a highway intersection.—
Flora Stubbs,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Feb. 2026
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Since taking over as GameStop's CEO in September 2023, Cohen has dramatically cut costs, improved the retailer's profitability and grown its collectibles business, even as overall sales have sagged.—
Gabrielle Fonrouge,
CNBC,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
It is required for normal skeletal growth and bone homeostasis.—
Lauren Manaker,
SELF,
6 Feb. 2026
-
This Upper Paleolithic burial even became famous, though puzzling to researchers, because the unusual skeletal remains were even disfigured.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Withered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/withered. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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