: acting or serving to cut down or destroy : devastating
a withering fire from the enemy
a withering rebuke
Examples of withering in a Sentence
The book has been the subject of withering criticism.
She gave me a withering look.
Recent Examples on the Web
But the ending of The Platform 2 extinguishes that hope in a rather withering way.
—
A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2024
The show’s perspective on charter schools becomes all the more withering when Ava comes around to Barbara’s point of view.
—Jessica Winter, The New Yorker, 16 Mar. 2023
Esper has come under withering criticism for using that term, and Mattis joined in Wednesay.
—Deirdre Shesgreen, USA TODAY, 3 June 2020
The cages demanded daily cleaning, another of Edith’s chores, performed under the withering scrutiny of her grandmother.
—Washington Post, 10 Jan. 2020
See all Example Sentences for withering 
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.
A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2024
The show’s perspective on charter schools becomes all the more withering when Ava comes around to Barbara’s point of view.
—Jessica Winter, The New Yorker, 16 Mar. 2023
Esper has come under withering criticism for using that term, and Mattis joined in Wednesay.
—Deirdre Shesgreen, USA TODAY, 3 June 2020
The cages demanded daily cleaning, another of Edith’s chores, performed under the withering scrutiny of her grandmother.
—Washington Post, 10 Jan. 2020
See all Example Sentences for withering
Dictionary Entries Near withering
Cite this Entry
“Withering.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/withering. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share