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
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
Verb
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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And in a third, the gaunt 30-year-old killer flexes, purses his lips and squints.—
Michael Ruiz,
FOXNews.com,
10 Sep. 2025
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The apparently recent footage showed two hostages -- Guy Gilboa-Dalal and Alon Ohel -- looking gaunt and exhausted while being driven around Gaza City.—
WAFAA SHURAFA,
Arkansas Online,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Avoid chickens with dull, shriveled, or unevenly colored patches, which can signal uneven cooking or overcooking.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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When Claire first shows up, Sweeney’s haggard appearance is doubly shocking for anyone who’s seen how radiant the star looks in most roles.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
7 June 2025
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Weinstein often looked haggard and out of it — unshaven, mouth ajar, eyes bleary.—
Phoebe Eaton,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Our new evidence aligns with skeletal adaptations that suggest powerful digging abilities, consistent with foraging foods both above and below ground.—
Aditya Reddy Kurre,
The Conversation,
21 Oct. 2025
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After nearly two years of friends, family and law enforcement searching for her, Markham's skeletal remains were found by a couple gathering aluminum cans near a creek off Big Cedar Road in Cedar Grove, Indiana.—
Quinlan Bentley,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Most of those who shaped or even marginally influenced the events of October 7th are gone, leaving Gaza’s authority withered to the point that even managing the hostages has become paralyzingly difficult.—
Mohammed R. Mhawish,
New Yorker,
14 Oct. 2025
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But previous Daniel Jones models would have withered after such an ugly start and retreated to an all-checkdown menu for the rest of the game.—
J.J. Bailey,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Assuming the same is true of the new specimens, the carcasses would have dried in the sun in a week or two.—
Amanda Schupak,
CNN Money,
23 Oct. 2025
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On the other hand, washable filters are designed to last for the lifetime of the equipment, as long as they are cleaned, dried, and reinstalled regularly.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
23 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wizened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wizened. Accessed 25 Oct. 2025.
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