🍇 Dried and wrinkled 💔 Weakened or reduced

shrivelled

5.2

Weakened and having less energy, strength or interest

adjective
/ˈʃrɪvəld/

: diminuto

His enthusiasm for the project had shriveled after receiving repeated criticisms.

And there's lots of shriveled people in positions of great power in this society, no doubt.

Examples

And there's lots of shriveled people in positions of great power in this society, no doubt.

Tom Bilyeu
And there's lots of shriveled people in positions of great power in this society, no doubt.

Tom Bilyeu
The once vibrant flowers in the garden looked shriveled after weeks without water.
The fruits had shriveled in the sun, losing their fresh appearance.

Synonyms

shrunken

vsshrivelled

4 3.9

Smaller or weaker than before

focuses on reduced strength or force rather than only physical size

withered

vsshrivelled

1 4.6

It looks dry, thin, and lifeless like old leaves

refers more generally to reduced strength or effectiveness not just physical drying

atrophied

vsshrivelled

1 7.7

A part of the body that becomes smaller and weaker from illness, injury or lack of use

denotes general loss of force not limited to medical or bodily cases

shriveled

vsshrivelled

5.7

Weakened and less strong or important

has identical meaning but differs only in spelling

weakened

vsshrivelled

2.7

Not as strong or effective

stresses a general loss of force or vitality rather than other changes

deadened

vsshrivelled

5.1

Less strong so a feeling or pain is not as intense

indicates reduction in strength or vitality rather than only feeling intensity

dulled

vsshrivelled

4.3

Made less strong or clear

emphasizes weakened force or vitality rather than sensory dulling

Antonyms

to enhance

424 4.0

Make something better or more attractive

to strengthen

327 3.0

To make muscles, relationships, or groups stronger

How Effective

powerful

∞ 1.7

effective

986 3.1

shrivelled

5.2

weakened

2.7

ineffective

90 3.4

Surface Forms

shrivelled positive

shrivelled comparative

shriveled comparative

shriveled positive

shrivelled superlative

shriveled superlative

Morphology

shrivelled = shrivel (semi-transparent) = shrivel + ed

This sense is a metaphorical extension of the physical meaning ('become diminished'), so knowledge of 'shrivel' helps but the exact abstract sense may not be fully predictable for all learners.

Etymology

Shrivelled comes from the same idea as the verb shrivel — like a plant in drought that 'dries up' and becomes small and weak. That's why a shrivelled ambition, confidence, or feeling is one that has lost strength or life.