1
as in dries
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
as in fades
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for withers
Verb
-
Water in the morning so the foliage dries by midday.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
16 May 2026 -
The all-in-one station empties the dust, washes, and dries its own mop pads.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
Ducks’ top line fades The Ducks’ top line of Leo Carlsson centering Chris Kreider and Troy Terry had a quiet ending to the series after a very productive opening round against Edmonton.—
Eric Stephens,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
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In terms of where to beach, wide stretches of sand in Beach Haven remain some of the Jersey Shore’s most desirable, drawing surfers at sunrise, families hauling coolers and striped umbrellas by midday, and sunset walkers lingering until the sky fades pink over the dunes.—
Jessica Chapel,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
As complexity rises, decisions fragment, priorities shift and trust weakens.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
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Excluding unhoused people from public spaces reinforces stigma and weakens the social bonds that support stability and recovery.—
Shianne LeClaire,
Hartford Courant,
17 May 2026
Verb
-
The roof flakes, the porch sags.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Their constant companion in the campaign is the Amazona 180 bag that made its debut on the Loewe runway last October, a slouchy, one-handle style that sags open when left unzipped.—
Miles Socha,
Footwear News,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Lady Louise, who is studying English at St Andrew’s University in Scotland, has been helping ensure that the four-day show goes smoothly and has a good royal turnout.—
Katie Nicholl,
Vanity Fair,
14 May 2026
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Kerry Burnight, a gerontologist who contributed to the research, said the index builds on foundational well-being models but goes further.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
14 May 2026
Verb
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Too thick of a mascara coat, and suddenly my gaze droops.—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
8 Jan. 2026
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The cream should hold a soft, semi-sturdy peak that gently droops at the tip without collapsing entirely.—
Gabi De la Rosa,
Southern Living,
22 Aug. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Withers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/withers. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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