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
Literary Hub, 23 Feb. 2026
Floridians can see it in the withered tones of roadside vegetation and hear it in the dry crunch of their once-green lawns.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Feb. 2026
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
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
Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Mar. 2026
Colombia’s storied Medellin cartel was another mob that withered after Pablo Escobar met his demise in 1993.
—Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2026
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
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
Adjective
Dead fruit rotted on withered evergreens, remnants of a record-cold February.
—Literary Hub, 23 Feb. 2026
Floridians can see it in the withered tones of roadside vegetation and hear it in the dry crunch of their once-green lawns.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Feb. 2026
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
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
The former Florida State Seminole seeking his first win since 2021 withered while facing Bhatia’s birdie barrage and his eagle at the par-5 16th hole.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Mar. 2026
Colombia’s storied Medellin cartel was another mob that withered after Pablo Escobar met his demise in 1993.
—Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2026
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for withered
Adjective
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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
-
The flowers look beautiful in fresh or dried arrangements.—
Lynn McAlpine,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Wait until the dew is dried or a few days after a heavy rain.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Charlotte has long embraced Lang Van as a go-to for Vietnamese comfort food, and the comment section proved that reputation hasn’t faded.—
Evan Moore,
Charlotte Observer,
4 Mar. 2026
-
The walls are cracked, and their whitewash has faded to gray.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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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
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The lower target follows a yearslong property sector slump that sent home prices tumbling, weakened domestic consumption and investment confidence and led to massive job losses.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
5 Mar. 2026
-
But Bradost said that the Kurdish parties were open to working with most Iranian political forces—just not the Islamic Republic, which is now too weakened to be a partner, or Reza Pahlavi, the son of the late shah of Iran, who has been publicly hostile to the Kurdish parties.—
Arash Azizi,
The Atlantic,
4 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Lie’s Evans is gaunt and distant, a shy man hidden behind a veil of cigarette smoke, unable to process — or even express — his grief.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Mar. 2026
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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
Verb
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The first shot was a 3-pointer courtesy of James – to take a 107-106 lead – who found the 6-foot-3 shooting guard alone in the corner as Mathurin sagged away from the guard who had yet to attempt a shot.—
Benjamin Royer,
Oc Register,
21 Feb. 2026
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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
Adjective
-
The exact mechanism behind these skeletal changes isn’t fully understood.—
Jennifer Byrne,
Popular Science,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Seeing a skeletal creature materialize in the darkness is ominous; returning to the site to find that it’s disappeared is even worse.—
Alex Barasch,
New Yorker,
4 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Withered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/withered. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
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