as in failing
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1
as in drying
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 fading
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 withering
Jake Lundberg, The Atlantic, 12 Feb. 2026
Prior to the oil blockade, the Caribbean island suffered from a withering economy due to its dwindling tourism business since the Covid-19 pandemic.
—Philip Wang, Time, 9 Feb. 2026
Film buffs were surprised by Tarantino’s taste (the Kill Bill director gave the top spot to Black Hawk Down, second place going to Toy Story 3), but Tarantino’s withering comments about Paul Dano overshadowed any debate about the list.
—Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
A little over 18 months later, the activist investor Elliott Investment Management built a stake in Southwest and launched a withering campaign that called for sweeping board changes, including the removal of Jordan and his then-chairman, Gary Kelly.
—Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for withering
Verb
In 1856, violence came to Washington, too, when a South Carolina congressman brutally caned the Massachusetts Senator Charles Sumner on the floor of the Senate, two days after Sumner delivered a withering antislavery speech.
—Jake Lundberg, The Atlantic, 12 Feb. 2026
Prior to the oil blockade, the Caribbean island suffered from a withering economy due to its dwindling tourism business since the Covid-19 pandemic.
—Philip Wang, Time, 9 Feb. 2026
Film buffs were surprised by Tarantino’s taste (the Kill Bill director gave the top spot to Black Hawk Down, second place going to Toy Story 3), but Tarantino’s withering comments about Paul Dano overshadowed any debate about the list.
—Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
A little over 18 months later, the activist investor Elliott Investment Management built a stake in Southwest and launched a withering campaign that called for sweeping board changes, including the removal of Jordan and his then-chairman, Gary Kelly.
—Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for withering
Recent Examples of Synonyms for withering
Noun
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Many of the failings against Monaco — and there were plenty — have been recurring motifs in recent months.—
Jack Lang,
New York Times,
26 Feb. 2026
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Read Credit Suisse’s own post-mortem report on its Archegos failings, prepared by law firm Paul Weiss.—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Vouchers will be exchangeable for a laundry card preloaded with $8 in credit, which will cover two wash cycles at any temperature and three 10-minute drying cycles.—
Victoria Le,
Oc Register,
24 Feb. 2026
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Finish by removing the cleaner off the tracks with a damp microfiber cloth or paper towel before drying the tracks with a dry cloth.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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While the era of easy, equity-like returns is fading as the asset class matures and competition intensifies, private credit’s growth phase is not over just yet, said PitchBook analyst Kyle Walters.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
24 Feb. 2026
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The foothills in the distance become burnished in the golden hour’s fading light.—
Audrey T. Williams,
Mercury News,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Work being done to reduce ponding, draining issues Jason Molinero, the deputy director of the Allegheny County Department of Public Works, said ponding and draining issues are frequent on Campbells Run Road, eventually eating away at pavement and causing premature deterioration.—
Chilekasi Adele,
CBS News,
25 Feb. 2026
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The Best Freezer Storage Tips Practice good storage techniques to maximize the time foods can be kept in the freezer to prevent deterioration.—
Alexandra Emanuelli,
Southern Living,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Rotten flowers sit wilting in a vase, the fireplace is lit, and clothes are strewn around.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
18 Feb. 2026
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And Margot Robbie gives the character a sharpness, an agency that’s a relief from the wilting Catherines of yore — which actually makes her ultimate gruesome fate feel that much more tragic.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
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There is, at present, some evidence for dark energy weakening over time, although the results from the DESI collaboration, which provide the strongest evidence to date for such a scenario, are highly ambiguous.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
20 Feb. 2026
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Evidenced by no-confidence votes and faculty demonstrations, a sizable number of professors hold weakening trust in their institution's administrators.—
Cate Charron,
IndyStar,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Those protests began in Tehran in late December in response to the collapse of the Iranian currency and the worsening of economic conditions, and then quickly took on a political character -- with crowds on the streets openly calling for regime change.—
Kevin Shalvey,
ABC News,
6 Feb. 2026
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If your skin reaction is severe, worsening, persistent, or associated with allergy symptoms, get prompt medical attention.—
Heidi Moawad,
Verywell Health,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Despite their hefty size and impeccable quality, Jenny Bird's lobe-lifting backs prevent my ears from sagging.—
Tamim Alnuweiri,
InStyle,
26 Feb. 2026
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As fabric stretch levels increase, so does the tendency for fabrics to have high growth (bagging and sagging) or high shrinkage.—
Meghan Hall,
Sourcing Journal,
24 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Withering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/withering. Accessed 1 Mar. 2026.
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