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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in shrivelled
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of withered
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
Craig Gilbert, jsonline.com, 25 Sep. 2025
Another media outlet withered under government pressure, ensuring that the administration will continue to extort and exact retribution on broadcasters and publishers who criticize it.
—Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025
Many of the plants have bolted or gone to seed or withered in the heat.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 5 Sep. 2025
In the United States, the middle layer of agriculture — small to mid-sized processors, tanneries, and aggregators — has withered under decades of globalization.
—Esha Chhabra, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025
Although Dodik has threatened to defy the ruling, Mujanović said much of his support base in the entity has withered away.
—Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 9 Aug. 2025
But over time, lovers vanished, friendships withered, and purpose drained away.
—Shai Tubali, Big Think, 5 Aug. 2025
However, Assad’s army withered away with hardly a shot being fired in anger, or in Assad’s defense.
—Daniel Markind, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024
But the defense surrendered a touchdown on the first drive and withered at critical junctures.
—Jesse Temple, The Athletic, 24 Nov. 2024
Verb
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
Adjective
Competition, however, has withered in American elections.
—Craig Gilbert, jsonline.com, 25 Sep. 2025
Another media outlet withered under government pressure, ensuring that the administration will continue to extort and exact retribution on broadcasters and publishers who criticize it.
—Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025
Many of the plants have bolted or gone to seed or withered in the heat.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 5 Sep. 2025
In the United States, the middle layer of agriculture — small to mid-sized processors, tanneries, and aggregators — has withered under decades of globalization.
—Esha Chhabra, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025
Although Dodik has threatened to defy the ruling, Mujanović said much of his support base in the entity has withered away.
—Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 9 Aug. 2025
But over time, lovers vanished, friendships withered, and purpose drained away.
—Shai Tubali, Big Think, 5 Aug. 2025
However, Assad’s army withered away with hardly a shot being fired in anger, or in Assad’s defense.
—Daniel Markind, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024
But the defense surrendered a touchdown on the first drive and withered at critical junctures.
—Jesse Temple, The Athletic, 24 Nov. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for withered
Verb
-
All continers must be dried properly before storing.—
Gege Reed,
Louisville Courier Journal,
3 Oct. 2025
-
The Role of Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load Both fresh and dried fruit can be part of a healthy diet.—
Lauren Panoff,
Verywell Health,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The stock market is still rallying to record highs, the Fed is widely expected to cut rates at its meeting later this month, and the general consensus is that recession risks have all but faded.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Not to worry though, say scientists at NASA, because another meteor shower happens in October well after the supermoon has faded.—
John Tufts,
IndyStar,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The Panthers are weakened without starting running back Chuba Hubbard.—
Mike Kaye,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Oct. 2025
-
Confidence in business conditions and job availability has weakened sharply, raising concerns that the spending power underpinning corporate growth could falter.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The counterculture had curdled, Vietnam was over but unsettled, and the economy sagged into stagflation.—
Eric Cortellessa,
Time,
25 Sep. 2025
-
The Democratic Party’s brand — as well as the approval rating for some of the state’s top Democratic officials — has indeed sagged, even in solidly blue Colorado, according to a recent poll.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
22 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
Arsenal also agreed a deal for another teenager, the 16-year-old Shamrock Rovers midfielder Victor Ozhianvuna, a wizened old veteran by comparison.—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
25 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Withered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/withered. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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