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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Recent Examples of shrivel
At seven and a half months, the untreated mice looked small and shrivelled, with thin gray coats and curved spines.
—
Dhruv Khullar, New Yorker, 11 Aug. 2025
The animals have suffered from a disease that causes parts of them to shrivel and melt away.
—Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 5 Aug. 2025
Colonialism had quite a lot to do with their decline, practically from the moment the Dutch set foot here in the early 18th century: the colonists shrivelled our forests, brought rats on their boats.
—Ariel Saramandi, The Dial, 29 July 2025
Avoid peppers that are shriveled, bruised, or have soft spots.
—Heather Riske, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for shrivel
Dhruv Khullar, New Yorker, 11 Aug. 2025
The animals have suffered from a disease that causes parts of them to shrivel and melt away.
—Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 5 Aug. 2025
Colonialism had quite a lot to do with their decline, practically from the moment the Dutch set foot here in the early 18th century: the colonists shrivelled our forests, brought rats on their boats.
—Ariel Saramandi, The Dial, 29 July 2025
Avoid peppers that are shriveled, bruised, or have soft spots.
—Heather Riske, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for shrivel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shrivel
Verb
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This is due to essential oils that slowly evaporate as spices age, leaving them dull in flavor.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
14 Sep. 2025
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All that on top of her ever-increasing living expenses, and the money just seemed to evaporate.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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That change could flood the program with claims, rapidly drain it, and give manufacturers another reason to pull away from making vaccines.—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
18 Sep. 2025
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Some clogs may be visible from the top of your drain that will also indicate a slow-draining sink.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
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To help prevent infections, experts recommend drying dogs' ears after swimming or bathing, addressing underlying allergies, and performing gentle, regular ear cleanings at home.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Sep. 2025
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Let the leaves dry for a couple of days.—
Savanna Bous,
Better Homes & Gardens,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Amazon rainforest could wither into a savanna; coral reefs could bleach ghost-white; a major current in the Atlantic Ocean might go slack and fail to deliver warmth to Europe, turning Scotland into Siberia.—
Gregory Barber,
Quanta Magazine,
15 Sep. 2025
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If the soil is poor or toxic, even the strongest plants will eventually wither.—
Sandro da Silva,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The resulting scorching ash cloud reached as high as 16 miles into the atmosphere, darkening the sky and causing homes and businesses as far as 300 miles away to close.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
16 Sep. 2025
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With cold winters and scorching summers, many wineries harvest the grapes at night when temperatures are cooler to prevent fermentation before the grapes can be processed.—
Lauren David,
Travel + Leisure,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Klamath tribes, for instance, have passed down a story about the creation of Oregon’s Crater Lake, formed about 7,700 years ago, after Mount Mazama erupted and collapsed into itself.—
Dan Piepenbring,
Harpers Magazine,
19 Sep. 2025
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And if the environment collapses; communities cannot thrive either.—
Christopher Marquis,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Daffodils These vibrant daffodils are the perfect way to arrange a bouquet for your home that’ll never wilt or die.—
Izzy Baskette,
PEOPLE,
16 Sep. 2025
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Many expected Bud to wilt the first time the Mexican legend landed cleanly.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Brenner concluded by reminding those on one end of a fading friendship to consider the nature of relationships over time—and how sometimes, things might just come back around.—
Maria Morava,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 Sep. 2025
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Union Jacks flap gently in the breeze; a golden slither of evening sun drapes a row of cottages; a red postbox, still bearing the initials of the late Queen, stands outside a village church, bathed in the fading light.—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
20 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shrivel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shrivel. Accessed 22 Sep. 2025.
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