as in to evaporate
to become small and wrinkly usually as a result of dehydration
Without irrigation, these plants would shrivel (up) and die.
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of shrivel
Other shifts included dissipating cloudiness, paltry precipitation (but also devastating deluges), expanding drought, record-setting wildfires, shriveling glaciers and ice sheets, and rising sea level.
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Tom Yulsman, Discover Magazine, 31 Aug. 2024
Young stems that develop might shrivel and fall off.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Nov. 2024
Crops are shriveling and cities are sinking as the groundwater beneath them dries out.
—Laura Paddison, CNN, 16 Oct. 2024
It's shriveled up into dust and evaporated into the air.
—Dalton Ross, EW.com, 13 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for shrivel 
Tom Yulsman, Discover Magazine, 31 Aug. 2024
Young stems that develop might shrivel and fall off.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Nov. 2024
Crops are shriveling and cities are sinking as the groundwater beneath them dries out.
—Laura Paddison, CNN, 16 Oct. 2024
It's shriveled up into dust and evaporated into the air.
—Dalton Ross, EW.com, 13 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for shrivel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shrivel
Verb
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Though imperceptible to humans, 1 degree can make the difference between bitterly cold, dry gusts of arctic air freezing the lake over or evaporating its warm surface waters.Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 16 Dec. 2024
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The resulting mixture is sprayed through a nozzle, which evaporates the solvent leaving spherical particles behind that are then electrochemically treated the same way as the ground char.Alex Knapp, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Gabriel stood awkwardly between the door and the back of a sofa, facing Thornton, and his calm drained away.Daisy Hildyard, The New Yorker, 15 Dec. 2024
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Keep in mind that this gearing will drain the battery more than when driven at slower city speeds.New Atlas, New Atlas, 14 Dec. 2024
Verb
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If your tools have rough wooden handles, smooth the handles out with some sandpaper and apply linseed oil to the wood to prevent drying and cracking.Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Dec. 2024
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Pet safety: How to keep your pets safe in cold weather The best tips to heal dry and chapped lips Use lip balm or ointment throughout the day, but be careful to avoid overdoing it.Maryal Miller Carter, USA TODAY, 7 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Purdy got walloped with a clothesline hit in the fourth quarter while another Bears defender hit his torso, leaving the 49ers’ quarterback withering in pain on his back and grabbing at his facemask.Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 8 Dec. 2024
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The changes follow federal civil rights complaints, lawsuits and withering congressional scrutiny accusing universities of tolerating antisemitism, after some protesters praised Hamas and called for violence against Israelis.Isabelle Taft, New York Times, 25 Nov. 2024
Verb
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The fire burned right up to the property line and scorched wooden fence posts and vegetation but firefighters were able to keep the fire from touching the property.Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 11 Dec. 2024
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The lingering autumn-like warmth not only offers pleasant days for outdoor activities but could also provide some financial relief for local households after the electric bill price hikes that usually happen during the scorching summer months in the city.Laura Daniella Sepulveda, The Arizona Republic, 10 Dec. 2024
Verb
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After France's government collapses:Macron names Francois Bayrou prime minister Scholz has been Germany's chancellor since late 2021, replacing conservative Angela Merkel, who spent 16 years in the role.Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY, 16 Dec. 2024
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It’s been anemic for decades but refusing to collapse, like so many empires.Harmony Holiday, Los Angeles Times, 16 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The best time to repot a Christmas cactus is in spring when blooming has ended and its flowers have wilted.Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 26 Oct. 2024
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The cabbage wilts a tiny bit under the acidic nature of the dressing, but retains some of its crunch.Bon Appétit, Bon Appétit, 20 Nov. 2024
Verb
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The Blackhawks are fading from the public consciousness, and there’s no easy way back.Mark Lazerus, The Athletic, 6 Dec. 2024
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The Republican field hated DeSantis An initial begrudging respect for DeSantis quickly faded once the campaign got underway.Philip Elliott, TIME, 6 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near shrivel
Cite this Entry
“Shrivel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shrivel. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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