as in failing
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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of withering
Big Think, 26 Nov. 2025
Unfortunately, that dream quickly dies under the withering power of the influencer’s disdain for management.
—Caroline Framke, Vulture, 24 Nov. 2025
Since the money has dried up, that stability is withering away.
—Sophia Paffenroth Mississippi Today, Arkansas Online, 23 Nov. 2025
After withering away on the bench for the New York Yankees this past season, though, Reyes has found a new organization to call home.
—Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for withering
Verb
After nearly a decade of uninterrupted growth, the days of multi-million-dollar, multi-year contracts with governmental entities and private companies are swiftly withering away.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for withering
Noun
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Stephen Ross, the Miami Dolphins’ majority owner since 2009, is now looking for his eighth different head coach in a parade of floundering, flailing and failing.—
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Robotics startups typically prefer to show off their research prototypes in videos on social media, offering them the opportunity to show the machines at their best and edit out their failings.—
Verb
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Spanx elevates its plain T-shirt by making it out of a buttery-soft, stretchable fabric that is moisture-wicking and quick-drying.—
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Vinegar can be drying, so remember to condition leather to keep it supple.—
Verb
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But her role as fading movie star Kay Stone in Josh Safdie’s Marty Supreme, opposite Timothée Chalamet, marks her grand return.—
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The days of underground stashes and whispered conversations are fading fast.—
Noun
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With the deterioration and rise of crime in South Beach in the late 1970s, as well as inflation and the shrinking tourist business, the Famous was forced to close in 1981.—
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While analysts do not expect the rift to escalate into direct conflict, even a limited deterioration could carry far-reaching consequences.—
Verb
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Yet there the Packers were in Chicago, wilting under the pressure of one yet again.—
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Adrian Kempe and Corey Perry also scored, Darcy Kuemper made 24 saves, and the Kings were able to respond after wilting late in similar circumstances in a 5-3 loss to Tampa Bay on Thursday.—
Verb
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Milk, butter and cheese prices on the wholesale market and at grocery stores have decreased slightly due to oversupply and weakening consumer demand.—
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This suggests consumers enter 2026 with continuing concerns over high prices and weakening labor market conditions.—
Noun
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In the old tool, the factors weren’t measured by a worsening, neutral or improving score.—
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Potential complications include sinus and ear infections; inflammation of the heart, brain or muscle tissues; multi-organ failure; sepsis or the worsening of chronic conditions like asthma.—
Verb
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The fragile skeleton of her ego threatened to snap under the pressure of the animal forces that pressed down on her consciousness, her narrative mind sagging and distended beneath pitiless and grandiose feeling.—
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With age, the body’s natural collagen supplies decline, which can result in sagging, crepey skin.—
Cite this Entry
“Withering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/withering. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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