wither

¹

[with-er]

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 ).

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

²

Also With·ers

[with-er]

noun

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

wither

/ 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

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of wither¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of wither¹

C14: perhaps variant of _weather (vb); related to German verwittern to decay

Synonym Study

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.

Example Sentences

“After the shutdown of 2018, Zion did not die, did not wither. On the contrary, Zion even grew faster and more widely across China,” said Long, the U.S.-based pastor for Zion Church.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Upon her return, she faced withering criticism over the city’s preparation for the high winds, as well as Fire Department operations and the overall emergency response.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

When she returned, Bass faced withering criticism over the city’s preparation for the high winds, as well as fire department operations and the overall emergency response.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The voice that sang it was profound and strong, but quavering and not quite in tune: an old oak tree with a strong trunk but with branches starting to kink and leaves to wither.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Salveen, will the U.S. biotech ecosystem wither as pharma companies do deals with Chinese companies?

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

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