Synonyms of withered

withered 1 of 2

adjective

as in shriveled

Related Words

• shriveled
• wizened
• gaunt
• skeletal
• haggard
• emaciated
• scrawny
• lanky
• lank
• bony
• starved
• undernourished
• thin
• wasted
• skinny
• cadaverous
• underfed
• sinewy
• starving
• rawboned
• scraggy
• spare
• hungry
• famished

Dissimilar Words

• healthy
• husky
• fit
• hale
• burly
• brawny
• beefy
• hearty
• fleshy
• plump
• fat
• pudgy
• chubby
• corpulent
• obese
• overweight
• stocky
• rotund
• portly
• flabby
• soft
• tubby
• heavyset
• thickset
• roly-poly

withered

2 of 2

verb

past tense of wither

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• dried
• faded
• wilted
• shriveled
• diminished
• waned
• wizened
• decreased
• mummified
• declined
• lessened

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• revived
• flourished
• bloomed
• grew
• prospered
• increased
• thrived
• developed
• freshened
• waxed
• peaked
• surged
• crested

2

as in faded

to lose bodily strength or vigor

if he's left on his own, he'll just wither and die

Synonyms & Similar Words

• faded
• weakened
• sagged
• went
• decayed
• failed
• sank
• deteriorated
• drooped
• wilted
• lagged
• emaciated
• wasted (away)
• languished
• flagged
• rotted
• yielded
• broke down
• degenerated
• ran down
• wore out

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• recovered
• recuperated
• rallied
• rebounded
• gained
• convalesced

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of withered

Adjective

First introduced at its Taikoo Li Qiantan store in 2022, the plant nearly withered after being left unattended for several months during the COVID-19 lockdown. — Denni Hu, Footwear News, 3 Nov. 2026

Once brimming with life, the Dodgers’ historic quest has curled up into a withered heap. — Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026

Firefighters struggled to contain the initial outbreak, and strong winds, allied to the withered land, saw the flames quickly spread. — Chris Marshall-Bell, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026

The neural wiring of the obese mouse, on the right, withered. — Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 28 July 2026

These misshapen and withered figurines—a teddy bear with a candle and a turkey in pointed shoes—looked over at the photos from low plinths in one corner of the gallery. — Theo Belci, Artforum, 2 June 2026

Some oak trees retain their brown, withered leaves over winter, which paints a pretty picture when seen against a backdrop of white snow. — Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 May 2026

The process leaves behind withered petals and a liquid that cools into a thick wax. — Cecilia Vega, CBS News, 3 May 2026

Either shear the whole plant by a third or selectively cut withered flowers and leggy stems. — Teresa Woodard, Midwest Living, 14 Apr. 2026

Verb

Those offseason moves, combined with the injuries, have withered the depth that had allowed Presti to be patient in trade negotiations during previous seasons, without feeling a need to make splashy midseason acquisitions. — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 29 Oct. 2026

Planting bulbs below deciduous trees or shrubs that develop their foliage after the bulbs have bloomed and the foliage has withered and disintegrated is fine, as the bulbs still get dappled sunlight. — Nadia Hassani, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Oct. 2026

The legislation would also limit the length of licensing terms, reviving secondary markets that have largely withered away. — Gene Maddaus, Variety, 19 Oct. 2026

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

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

Sarah Dorsey, a parent at Ardrey Kell, previously said her trust in the district has withered amid the upheaval. — Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 15 Sep. 2026

As Florida’s winter dry season stretched into a near rainless wet season, the central Everglades has withered into extreme drought conditions. — Jenny Staletovich, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026