1
as in to dry
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to fade
to lose bodily strength or vigor
if he's left on his own, he'll just wither and die
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of wither
The president's call with NBC came after the administration faced a week of withering criticism over a decision by senior officials to discuss U.S. battle plans on the commercial messaging app Signal.
—
Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2025
Many businesses, fearing reprisals, are remaining mute in the wake of withering personal attacks against individuals and organizations challenging the Executive actions.
—Mark A. Cohen, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025
Ukrainian forces were largely unable to advance in the face of withering artillery fire and drone strikes.
—Jamie McIntyre, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 7 Mar. 2025
Hospital Job Cuts: An Economic Domino Effect Military towns wither when bases shutter.
—Richard Menger Md Mpa, Forbes.com, 2 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wither
Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2025
Many businesses, fearing reprisals, are remaining mute in the wake of withering personal attacks against individuals and organizations challenging the Executive actions.
—Mark A. Cohen, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025
Ukrainian forces were largely unable to advance in the face of withering artillery fire and drone strikes.
—Jamie McIntyre, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 7 Mar. 2025
Hospital Job Cuts: An Economic Domino Effect Military towns wither when bases shutter.
—Richard Menger Md Mpa, Forbes.com, 2 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wither
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wither
Verb
-
Both leaves and flowers emit a sweet, fruity aroma and can be dried for a calming tea.—
Rita Pelczar,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 Apr. 2025
-
Use a fragrance-free wash with a creamy formula, which tends to be less drying—think: a thicker, lotion-like consistency versus a thin and sudsy one.—
Alisa Hrustic,
SELF,
9 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Curiosity fades fast when people don’t feel safe to use it.—
Dr. Diane Hamilton,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
-
As the skin became more brittle, the hair fell out and the fatty layer beneath began to show more through the years, the white color faded, researchers said.—
Irene Wright,
Miami Herald,
9 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Former champ surges; Rose starts to wilt While all eyes are on McIlroy and DeChambeau after the third round Saturday, Zach Johnson, the 2007 Masters champion, flew up the leaderboard after posting a 66 before the two golfers even teed off.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
12 Apr. 2025
-
Add spinach and peas, cook until spinach is wilted, about 1 minute.—
Sarah Martens,
Better Homes & Gardens,
8 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Agreeing to a pick swap with the Lynx weakened the value of the pick that the Sky traded away.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Apr. 2025
-
One by one, the sectors defect, and, eventually, the leader may weaken and their government may fall.—
Julia Angwin,
New Yorker,
12 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
The sagging sales could be due to several factors, including the backlash, but also Tesla’s brand changes in the past few years.—
Miranda Nazzaro,
The Hill,
2 Apr. 2025
-
His sagging defense at the top of the key, while chasing to the rim for rebounds undermines switching and spacing.—
Troy Renck,
The Denver Post,
22 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
An Astros fan was relocated to different seats after ripping a baseball out of Mike Trout’s glove on a foul ball that went into the first row of the right-field seats.—
Sam Blum,
New York Times,
13 Apr. 2025
-
His scorecard was spectacular in the early going with six consecutive threes marked on his scorecard.—
Steve Silverman,
Forbes.com,
13 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Most failed to hit their targets and crashed into the ocean.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2025
-
Senate Bill 376 by Sen. Alan Clark, R-Lonsdale, failed to clear the House State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee in a voice vote with audible dissent.—
Josh Snyder,
Arkansas Online,
10 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wither.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wither. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share