as in shriveled
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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
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2
as in faded
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 withered
Teresa Woodard, Midwest Living, 14 Apr. 2026
Heaps of last summer’s grassy sedge lay withered around us.
—Quanta Magazine, 6 Apr. 2026
Soft winds threaten to blow the withered flowers away.
—Celina Tebor, CNN Money, 19 Mar. 2026
Dead fruit rotted on withered evergreens, remnants of a record-cold February.
—Literary Hub, 23 Feb. 2026
Floridians can see it in the withered tones of roadside vegetation and hear it in the dry crunch of their once-green lawns.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Feb. 2026
Among other moves this offseason, the Kings traded Jonas Valančiūnas for the withered remains of Dario Šarić and passed on a golden opportunity to lock in 3-and-D wing Keon Ellis at a value rate by declining his team option and re-signing him as a restricted free agent.
—John Hollinger, New York Times, 10 Oct. 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
Sam Metz, Arkansas Online, 26 Apr. 2026
The Palestinian Authority, however, has not held a presidential election in 21 years, and support for it and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has withered during years of corruption and frustration over the sometimes violent advances of Jewish settlers in the West Bank.
—ABC News, 26 Apr. 2026
The Palestinian Authority’s power has withered amid years without peace negotiations and Israel tightening its grip on the West Bank.
—Sam Metz, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2026
Their global footprint and their domestic market both have withered away over the last half-century, the finger of blame largely pointing at themselves.
—Jamie Lincoln Kitman, Rolling Stone, 24 Apr. 2026
Jones also trumpeted his goal to phase out Georgia's income tax, but an ambitious cut withered after being scorned by Kemp, who is wrapping up his final term in office, and state House Republicans.
—CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
Then the strength of their team withered and left them still seeking their first victory under new manager Craig Stammen.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Mar. 2026
But as the airline increasingly relied on land planes, its ties to Dinner Key withered.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2026
Now most of the great passenger railroads have withered and died, and they have been replaced by Amtrak, which has mammoth troubles of its own.
—Rafaela Jinich, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
Either shear the whole plant by a third or selectively cut withered flowers and leggy stems.
—Teresa Woodard, Midwest Living, 14 Apr. 2026
Heaps of last summer’s grassy sedge lay withered around us.
—Quanta Magazine, 6 Apr. 2026
Soft winds threaten to blow the withered flowers away.
—Celina Tebor, CNN Money, 19 Mar. 2026
Dead fruit rotted on withered evergreens, remnants of a record-cold February.
—Literary Hub, 23 Feb. 2026
Floridians can see it in the withered tones of roadside vegetation and hear it in the dry crunch of their once-green lawns.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Feb. 2026
Among other moves this offseason, the Kings traded Jonas Valančiūnas for the withered remains of Dario Šarić and passed on a golden opportunity to lock in 3-and-D wing Keon Ellis at a value rate by declining his team option and re-signing him as a restricted free agent.
—John Hollinger, New York Times, 10 Oct. 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
Verb
Its power has withered amid years without peace negotiations and Israel tightening its grip on the occupied West Bank.
—Sam Metz, Arkansas Online, 26 Apr. 2026
The Palestinian Authority, however, has not held a presidential election in 21 years, and support for it and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has withered during years of corruption and frustration over the sometimes violent advances of Jewish settlers in the West Bank.
—ABC News, 26 Apr. 2026
The Palestinian Authority’s power has withered amid years without peace negotiations and Israel tightening its grip on the West Bank.
—Sam Metz, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2026
Their global footprint and their domestic market both have withered away over the last half-century, the finger of blame largely pointing at themselves.
—Jamie Lincoln Kitman, Rolling Stone, 24 Apr. 2026
Jones also trumpeted his goal to phase out Georgia's income tax, but an ambitious cut withered after being scorned by Kemp, who is wrapping up his final term in office, and state House Republicans.
—CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
Then the strength of their team withered and left them still seeking their first victory under new manager Craig Stammen.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Mar. 2026
But as the airline increasingly relied on land planes, its ties to Dinner Key withered.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2026
Now most of the great passenger railroads have withered and died, and they have been replaced by Amtrak, which has mammoth troubles of its own.
—Rafaela Jinich, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for withered
Adjective
-
Properly watering succulents keeps them healthy and prevents problems like root rot and shriveled leaves.—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
16 Feb. 2026
-
To avoid finding shriveled potatoes in your pantry, start with fresh, firm potatoes.—
Lauren David,
Southern Living,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Combine a handful of nuts with fresh or dried fruit.—
Amber J. Tresca,
Verywell Health,
29 Apr. 2026
-
While most floors cleaned with a Swiffer solution will typically air-dry within a couple of minutes, marble and stone flooring should be buff-dried with a clean microfiber cloth.—
Louise Parks,
Martha Stewart,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
With time, with therapy, with growth, this thing has faded into the past, dissolved into other narratives.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Interest in the discussion faded later in James' career.—
Bobby Burack OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
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
Verb
-
This has been a story of unforeseen incidents, such as the unnoticed approach of the storm and the capsizing in front of high cliffs that prevented us from swimming ashore before the cold water had weakened us.—
Jim Hoagland,
Outdoor Life,
30 Apr. 2026
-
For Caracas, the engagement offers a chance to attract foreign capital and revive industries weakened by years of mismanagement and sanctions.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In the courtroom, Alfortish’s face looked gaunt after spending roughly a year in prison, and his hair, thinning now, had gone white.—
Patrick Radden Keefe,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
-
We’re introduced to its uncanny backdrop through the eyes of protagonist Heinrich, or Hein (Paul Boche), a gaunt young man who returns by boat after 14 years away.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Rather than carry over the momentum from Sunday, the Sabres gradually sagged due to spotty goaltending and an anemic power play.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Broadway box office sagged a bit last week, possibly as the previous week’s Easter vacationers and spring-breakers returned home and a crowded, 40-show production slate with lots of newcomers competed with one another for attention.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Pregnant and nursing women often need more to support fetal skeletal development.—
Helen Carefoot,
Flow Space,
24 Apr. 2026
-
While bone density is built within the first few decades of your life, your skeletal system still requires care and close consideration well into midlife and beyond.—
Holly Carter,
PEOPLE,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Withered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/withered. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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