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
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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
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Recent Examples of wither
Because funding for laboratories like Corey’s often leads to new treatments, its reduction can wither not just university research but the entire health economy.
—
Nathan Heller, The New Yorker, 3 Mar. 2025
English clubs’ player recruitment became multinational and even as academy intake numbers rose, gradually a traditional source of teenage talent — Ireland — withered.
—Michael Walker, The Athletic, 20 Mar. 2025
Paul traffics in attention; would wither and disappear without it.
—Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 16 Mar. 2025
Another trajectory remains possible, one in which the EU and NATO adapt rather than wither.
—Monica Duffy Toft, Foreign Affairs, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wither
Nathan Heller, The New Yorker, 3 Mar. 2025
English clubs’ player recruitment became multinational and even as academy intake numbers rose, gradually a traditional source of teenage talent — Ireland — withered.
—Michael Walker, The Athletic, 20 Mar. 2025
Paul traffics in attention; would wither and disappear without it.
—Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 16 Mar. 2025
Another trajectory remains possible, one in which the EU and NATO adapt rather than wither.
—Monica Duffy Toft, Foreign Affairs, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wither
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wither
Verb
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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
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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
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Curiosity fades fast when people don’t feel safe to use it.—
Dr. Diane Hamilton,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
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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
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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
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Add spinach and peas, cook until spinach is wilted, about 1 minute.—
Sarah Martens,
Better Homes & Gardens,
8 Apr. 2025
Verb
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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His scorecard was spectacular in the early going with six consecutive threes marked on his scorecard.—
Steve Silverman,
Forbes.com,
13 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Most failed to hit their targets and crashed into the ocean.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2025
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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 20 Apr. 2025.
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