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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Nitibhon, a Thai supermodel, plays her tycoon as comically drab, keeping her gaunt cheeks slack to emphasize her character’s hollowness.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Regina was standing by the window now, looking even more gaunt under the artificial light of the bulb behind her and the faint glow of the sunrise in front, which barely managed to filter through the balcony awning.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Instead of dampness and mushy roots, the orchid’s pseudobulbs (stem sections that store water) may look shriveled, roots may be dry and silvery, blooms droop, and buds may drop.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
20 Jan. 2026
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In earlier work, Rosenblatt’s team watched as some cells dumped their water and shriveled up like raisins before being extruded; indeed, this shrinkage seemed to kick off the process.—
Elise Cutts,
Quanta Magazine,
12 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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It is required for normal skeletal growth and bone homeostasis.—
Lauren Manaker,
SELF,
6 Feb. 2026
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This Upper Paleolithic burial even became famous, though puzzling to researchers, because the unusual skeletal remains were even disfigured.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Trees near their sprinklers withered and died.—
Nick Bowlin,
The Frontier,
16 Feb. 2026
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Last year’s version, which withered on the Senate’s calendar, also included religious organizations.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
15 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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As Derya and Aziz’s hypocrisies, as upper-class intellectuals, are increasingly brought to the fore, Namal and Biçer’s conversational performances grow haggard and strained.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2026
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No one’s going to want to watch a haggard perimenopausal woman who’s badly lit.—
Mikey O'Connell,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
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To make your laundry routine smoother, follow these expert tips to keep your sheets untangled and properly dried.—
Anyssa Roberts,
The Spruce,
5 Feb. 2026
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Warming up meals in a toaster oven likewise results in uneven heating, with the top portion getting dried or burnt and the middle part ending up lukewarm if the element is located on the top – the reverse is true if the element is on the bottom.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wizened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wizened. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
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