Definition of withernext
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

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 Thankfully, artificial flowers won’t fade, wither, or die, and hit all the marks of desirable home decor details. Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 May 2026 Fortunately, the emotional spar fest between the queen of withering glares and snippy comments — award winner Allison Janney — and the onstage king of stammering self involvement — Andrew Rannells — clicks in director/writer Jim Rash dramedy debut. Randy Myers, Mercury News, 28 May 2026 Drought has also spread across the nation’s breadbasket, where staple wheat crops that are typically used to make all-purpose flour or pasta have withered for lack of rain. Bloomberg, Oc Register, 27 May 2026 What becomes clear is that Yesteryear is not actually the withering critique of faux-trad influencers it’s been marketed as. Literary Hub, 14 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for wither
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wither
Verb
  • The store offers an extensive botanical shop and with a large assortment of both faux and dried botanicals for DIY arrangements or on-site styling help from an expert.
    Fousia Abdullahi, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 June 2026
  • Cows produce more colostrum than their calves need, so the excess is collected, pasteurized, dried and packaged for human consumption.
    Suzanne Nuyen, NPR, 2 June 2026
Verb
  • While desirable homes still sell quickly, frenzied bidding wars have faded.
    Sara B. Hansen, Denver Post, 29 May 2026
  • Deadheading Is Another Form Of Pinching Back Deadheading is similar to pinching back, but it is done once the flowers begin to fade.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 28 May 2026
Verb
  • Swathe greens, herbs, and other veggies in damp paper towels to retain moisture levels and keep the produce from wilting.
    Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 3 June 2026
  • Some of the sport’s biggest stars—including Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev and Ben Shelton—wilted in the searing heat during the first few rounds.
    Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 1 June 2026
Verb
  • The Reserve Bank of Australia will likely focus on the strength of private demand before factoring in the conflict, alongside inflation risks stemming from weak productivity and rising unit labor costs, according to Stenner, who expects household consumption to weaken in the second quarter.
    Anniek Bao, CNBC, 3 June 2026
  • Critics counter that scarcity alone does not guarantee value if investor demand weakens.
    Sharon Wu, USA Today, 2 June 2026
Verb
  • Trump’s sagging approval rating comes as Democrats have a chance at outperforming Republicans in midterms, with Emerson’s May poll showing Democrats with a 9-point advantage on the generic congressional ballot, though 9% of voters were undecided.
    Sara Dorn, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
  • Stock performance by Salesforce on Thursday, which sagged despite an impressive beat on profits and revenues, is emblematic of the troubles facing software.
    Tobias Burns, CNBC, 28 May 2026
Verb
  • Butlers here are called Aris Meehas, a historical Maldivian reference to someone assigned to serve royalty—thankfully, interactions are more easy-going than overly deferential.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 June 2026
  • After more than five innings of the Bulldogs trailing Liberty by one, struggling to get anything going, the Georgia third baseman crushed a two-run home run to left field.
    Sarah Spencer, AJC.com, 1 June 2026
Verb
  • However, the anticipated state finals clash was not to be as Calabasas dropped the baton in the Southern Section finals and failed to advance.
    Steve Galluzzo, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2026
  • It has been cited seven times by the AQMD since 2012 for such things as failing to report breakdowns and failing to maintain a system that measures and records temperatures.
    Jason Henry, Oc Register, 30 May 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wither.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wither. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on wither

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster