as in gaunt
dry and wrinkled usually because of old age
the old man's wizened face
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Recent Examples of wizened
Ann Patchett, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025
Arsenal also agreed a deal for another teenager, the 16-year-old Shamrock Rovers midfielder Victor Ozhianvuna, a wizened old veteran by comparison.
—Nick Miller, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2025
After earning the trust of a wizened teacher, Naruto becomes a ninja and works alongside Sasuke Uchiha (Noriaki Sugiyama) and Sakura Haruno (Chie Nakamura) under sensei Kakashi Hatake (Kazuhiko Inoue).
—Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Adjective
But more alarming than the ways in which this physical space could turn against us was the simple metaphor of a wizened little man pulling a boat down a river in the dark.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for wizened
Adjective
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During the conversation, Van Der Beek opened up about the overwhelming response to his gaunt appearance during September's Dawson's Creek reunion.—
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Van Der Beek's notably gaunt face sparked speculation about his condition amid his cancer battle.—
Verb
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Water the bare-root plant when the roots or stems appear shriveled by soaking the root ball in water for an hour.—
Adjective
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Investigators later searched the Ephrata home and storage unit of Jonathan Christ Gerlach, 34, and reported finding more than 100 human skulls, long bones, mummified hands and feet, two decomposing torsos and other skeletal items.—
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Turtles, like all reptiles, require these rays to produce vitamin D and promote skeletal health.—
Verb
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Russian-Cuban ties withered after the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, plunging Cuba into a grueling depression.—
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Its unwillingness or inability to act in the face of the offensive brings home, more powerfully than anything else, just how much this branch of government has withered away in recent decades.—
Adjective
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Now, the film is a downright classic, centering on three haggard witches (Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy) who go on a hilarious misadventure while trying to remain young forever.—
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In addition to skiing excursions, the winter sports menu includes such trying activities as snow shoe walking, ice diving, and dog sledding—great backdrops in front of which drunken or haggard travelers can snip at each other.—
Verb
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If the wet area is dried within 24 to 48 hours, mold is less likely to grow.—
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Each utensil is cleaned, and the bowl is warmed, dried and filled with three scoops of powdered tea before hot water is added and kneaded with the whisk into a smooth, thick mixture.—
Cite this Entry
“Wizened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wizened. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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