as in gaunt
dry and wrinkled usually because of old age
the old man's wizened face
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Recent Examples of wizened
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
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
After earning the trust of a wizened teacher, Naruto becomes a ninja and works alongside Sasuke Uchiha (Noriaki Sugiyama) and Sakura Haruno (Chie Nakamura) under sensei Kakashi Hatake (Kazuhiko Inoue).
—Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 4 Aug. 2025
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
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
After earning the trust of a wizened teacher, Naruto becomes a ninja and works alongside Sasuke Uchiha (Noriaki Sugiyama) and Sakura Haruno (Chie Nakamura) under sensei Kakashi Hatake (Kazuhiko Inoue).
—Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wizened
Adjective
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As Alpha waits for the results of blood tests, she is startled by the sudden appearance of a gaunt, jittery stranger in their apartment.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Mar. 2026
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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
Verb
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And then emergency snacks for my kid, often shriveled up raisins all over the bottom of the bag.—
Jessica Radloff,
Glamour,
23 Mar. 2026
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Pour the berries onto a plate or tray, and carefully remove any that are shriveled, moldy, or mushy, along with any stems or leaves.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
25 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Though skeletal remains are missing, some objects had been burned or melted down.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
23 Mar. 2026
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The skeletal population was exclusively of men in good health, aged 40 to 60 years, according to the news release.—
Michelle Del Rey,
USA Today,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Navy effectively stopped building ships at the close of the cold war and the sophisticated industrial base supporting ship construction – both the skilled workforce and the supply chain – withered for more than a generation.—
Edmund H. Mahony,
Hartford Courant,
23 Mar. 2026
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The Wolverines withered in being outscored 39-17 over the final 12 minutes.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
23 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Rocking back and forth nervously during a television appearance, a haggard-looking Diaz-Canel acknowledged the same talks, which his government had denied were taking place just days before.—
Patrick Oppmann,
CNN Money,
22 Mar. 2026
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Wrexham, meanwhile, was near the bottom, struggling in England’s lowest division under a haggard fan-ownership group keeping it on life support.—
Justin Birnbaum,
Sportico.com,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The color is rich and dark, as is the flavor with notes of ripe and dried fruit, dark chocolate, roasted espresso beans, raisin, fig, cherry cola, peaches, menthol, and blood orange.—
Jonah Flicker,
Robb Report,
20 Mar. 2026
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Glossing 5-Min Lamination Mask This mask became an instant winter-hair hero for me, helping to revive my dried-out, dull lengths with each use.—
Catharine Malzahn,
Glamour,
18 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wizened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wizened. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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