Wither

¹ American  

[with-er] / ˈwɪð ər /

Also Withers

noun

1. George, 1588–1667, English poet and pamphleteer.

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wither ² American  

[with-er] / ˈwɪð ər /

verb (used without object)

1. to shrivel; fade; decay.

   The grapes had withered on the vine.

   Synonyms:

   waste, droop, languish, decline, dry, shrink, wrinkle

2. to lose the freshness of youth, as from age (often followed byaway ).

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verb (used with object)

1. to make flaccid, shrunken, or dry, as from loss of moisture; cause to lose freshness, bloom, vigor, etc..

   The drought withered the buds.

2. to affect harmfully.

   Reputations were withered by the scandal.

3. to abash, as by a scathing glance.

   a look that withered him.

   Synonyms:

   shame, humiliate

wither British  

/ ˈwɪðə /

verb

1. (intr) (esp of a plant) to droop, wilt, or shrivel up

2. to fade or waste

   all hope withered away

3. (intr) to decay, decline, or disintegrate

4. (tr) to cause to wilt, fade, or lose vitality

5. (tr) to abash, esp with a scornful look

6. (tr) to harm or damage

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Related Words

Wither, shrivel imply a shrinking, wilting, and wrinkling. Wither (of plants and flowers) is to dry up, shrink, wilt, fade, whether as a natural process or as the result of exposure to excessive heat or drought: Plants withered in the hot sun. Shrivel, used of thin, flat objects and substances, such as leaves, the skin, etc., means to curl, roll up, become wrinkled: The leaves shrivel in cold weather. Paper shrivels in fire.

Other Word Forms

• nonwithering adjective
• overwithered adjective
• unwithered adjective
• unwithering adjective
• withered adjective
• witheredness noun
• witherer noun
• withering adjective
• witheringly adverb

Etymology

Origin of wither

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, perhaps variant of weather (verb)

Example Sentences

Some said they couldn’t afford to let their corn crops wither away.

From Literature

Tiamat panted with exertion, her hot breath withering the leaves around her.

From Literature

The report was widely condemned, including by more than 85 U.S. scientists and experts who published a withering 459-page document denouncing it as biased, error-ridden and unfit for guiding policy.

From Los Angeles Times

He was tiny, and withered, and ancient, wasted by his century in the dark.

From Literature

I feel myself crumpling inside and out, like a withering rose.

From Literature

Related Words

• atrophy
• decay
• deflate
• deteriorate
• disintegrate
• dry
• fade
• languish
• perish
• shrink
• shrivel
• wane
• wilt