as in to evaporate
to become small and wrinkly usually as a result of dehydration
Without irrigation, these plants would shrivel (up) and die.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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 shrivel
Sales of photography, moving-image work, sculpture, and most conceptual work have shriveled up, except at the very highest levels.
—
Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 6 Apr. 2026
Desert wildflowers shriveled up early this year due to the historic heat wave, leading to a lackluster sightseeing season and fewer visitors at some state parks.
—Ray Stern, AZCentral.com, 27 Mar. 2026
And then emergency snacks for my kid, often shriveled up raisins all over the bottom of the bag.
—Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 23 Mar. 2026
The Great Salt Lake has been shriveling up for decades.
—Evan Bush, NBC news, 7 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shrivel
Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 6 Apr. 2026
Desert wildflowers shriveled up early this year due to the historic heat wave, leading to a lackluster sightseeing season and fewer visitors at some state parks.
—Ray Stern, AZCentral.com, 27 Mar. 2026
And then emergency snacks for my kid, often shriveled up raisins all over the bottom of the bag.
—Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 23 Mar. 2026
The Great Salt Lake has been shriveling up for decades.
—Evan Bush, NBC news, 7 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shrivel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shrivel
Verb
-
Democrats’ jubilation over the prospect of claiming four new Virginia House seats evaporated on Friday, cementing a new GOP advantage in the mid-decade congressional redistricting war.—
Nicholas Wu,
semafor.com,
8 May 2026
-
Our protoplanetary disk has long since evaporated, as has any trace of a circumstellar debris disk.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
Weighing in at 710 tons, the sculpture was built to circulate 30,000 gallons of water but has been drained since 2024 in order to have its inner workings assessed.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
7 May 2026
-
Her own growth hasn’t just been paused by the demands of caring for a sick child, it’s been drained by the constant mental load that comes with it.—
Justin Kroll,
Deadline,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
These cleaning pals can often be thrown in the washer and hung out to dry.—
Jessica Safavimehr,
Southern Living,
12 May 2026
-
Ana dried her hands on a dishtowel.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
Instead of a withering blast that annihilates you instantly, the real killer would be a highly elevated risk of cancer and degenerative diseases over time.—
Alan Bradley,
Space.com,
8 May 2026
-
At a raucous commission meeting Tuesday, City Manager Rickelle Williams faced a storm of withering accusations in her initial job evaluation — mostly from Mayor Dean Trantalis, who eagerly supported hiring Williams last year but now scorns her in public.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
All that matters at this reservation-only pizzeria is the crust, a technical marvel of puff, bulge and scorch.—
Ligaya Mishan,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
-
Officials said the fire has scorched at least 5,000 acres as of Monday morning.—
Sergio Candido,
CBS News,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
In 1980, 35 people were killed when a freighter rammed the Sunshine Skyway Bridge over Tampa Bay in Florida, causing a 1,300-foot section of the southbound span to collapse.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
9 May 2026
-
And today, for the time being, the regime has collapsed totally.—
Andrew Marantz,
New Yorker,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
While fading blooms typically wilt or go limp, wilting of foliage or plant stems is a sign the plant is water stressed.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
9 May 2026
-
To his credit, Becerra did not wilt under the pressure.—
Douglas Schoen,
Oc Register,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
The practice didn’t fade with the modern age; women across generations have kept it alive.—
Boutheina Ben Salem,
Vogue,
8 May 2026
-
After the rogue’s gallery is introduced early on, nearly everyone except for Tim, Elliot, and Rebecca fades into the background, although delightfully, Emma Thompson nails her brief comedic role as a brusque solicitor handling George’s last will and testament.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
8 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shrivel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shrivel. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
