1
as in drying
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fading
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
as in failing
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of withering
Jim Gorzelany, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Continue reading … ON THE DECLINE – Mamdani warns of 'withering faith' in democracy to deliver for working class.
—FOXNews.com, 15 Aug. 2025
After nearly three years in the shadows, Wednesday is back with black pigtails and a withering gaze.
—Allison Degrushe Published, EW.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Thune and most of the Senate are ready to move legislation to impose withering penalties on Russia over the war in Ukraine but have so far held off at the request of the White House.
—David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 8 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for withering
Noun
Reports suggest the Nissan Versa is being double-teamed by low profit margins and a withering demand for entry-level sedans.
—Jim Gorzelany, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Continue reading … ON THE DECLINE – Mamdani warns of 'withering faith' in democracy to deliver for working class.
—FOXNews.com, 15 Aug. 2025
After nearly three years in the shadows, Wednesday is back with black pigtails and a withering gaze.
—Allison Degrushe Published, EW.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Thune and most of the Senate are ready to move legislation to impose withering penalties on Russia over the war in Ukraine but have so far held off at the request of the White House.
—David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 8 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for withering
Recent Examples of Synonyms for withering
Verb
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But over the years, the river had been dammed upstream, drying it up and killing the fish.—
David Gelles,
Time,
9 Sep. 2025
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Wash off all makeup or use makeup-removal wipes on your face before drying with a towel.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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This revealed that, even as the X-ray emissions of 4U 1630-472 were fading, the system was still ejecting material at an incredible 20 million mph (32 million kph) — about 3% the speed of light, and 15,000 times faster than the top speed of an F-16 jet fighter!—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
9 Sep. 2025
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All of these weaknesses are either gone or fading fast.—
Michael Foster,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
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If the continuity, cohesion and familiarity offered by those who stayed does not prove enough to keep Leeds in the league, the inability to sell efficiently in the summer window will be seen as one of the failings.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
5 Sep. 2025
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Thailand under Anutin will try to depart from Pheu Thai’s failings as much as possible, says Cogan.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Into the mix are their best friends, lawyer Barry (Andy Samberg) and his wife Amy (Kate McKinnon), who mostly are observers of the wilting Roses but with just the right touch of sympathy and advice.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
25 Aug. 2025
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Use an ice cube tray to freeze lemon juice, wilting herbs, and even red wine, all of which are perfect additions to your home cooking.—
Gia Mora,
Treehugger,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Then the hurricane continued on a more northward path around the islands and finally began weakening after powerful 145 mph winds tapered off.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
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Total job growth was revised lower by the largest amount in history, The revisions erased 911 thousand jobs over the full year period, adding to mounting concerns of a weakening labor market and fueling questions as to the reliability of monthly data being used to gauge employment.—
JJ Kinahan,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Initial jobless claims indicate only a minimal pickup in layoffs and/or deterioration in labor conditions at present, a positive dynamic.—
Jeffrey Schulze,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
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The largest member of the grass family, bamboo is combustible, susceptible to deterioration and weaker in rain, raising legitimate questions about its durability, Arup’s Ho said.—
Karina Tsui,
CNN Money,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Fed reduces rates to bolster a sagging economy and raises rates or keeps them higher for longer to curb inflation.—
Paul Davidson,
USA Today,
5 Sep. 2025
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Other issues with rotting, sagging and deterioration were present in other buildings, according to the inspections.—
Chris Higgins,
Kansas City Star,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Meanwhile, about 37% of those taking Wegovy saw improvement in liver fibrosis and no worsening of their MASH, compared to 22% in the placebo group.—
Claire Bugos,
Verywell Health,
25 Aug. 2025
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The 16-member task force reviews evidence and public input, then recommends preventive services that catch disease early or prevent worsening, which insurers must cover without patient cost-sharing.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
21 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Withering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/withering. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
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