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Glite Dictionary
to wither

to wither

50 4.4
To become dry and weak, as with plants or feelings
  • verb
  • /ˈwɪðər/
: marchitar(se)
  • And as we don't use some of them, they just wither away and die.
  • wither away
  • wither and die
  • begin to wither

Where there is no trust, music quite simply Withers away.

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Examples

  • If we can't renegotiate, we wither and die.

    Twins (1988)

  • For like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.

    B. Simone

  • Eventually, their food source would wither and die, and they would have to find another.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • Her skin began to wither, her body reclaiming the form it had known in death.

    cari can read

  • But what we see as people go through their lives is that perfectly good relationships can wither away just from neglect.

  • If you believe predictions that do not empower you, you will wither away and die.

  • Its breath could wither trees, scorch grass, and shatter stones.

  • Granted, she's got a great pair of bulbs, but she's going to wither and die before the new year.

    Joy of Sex (1984)

  • The teenager's skeleton has no left ankle; the leg bones taper to withered points.

    Academic text (2011)

  • Without water, the flowers will wither and lose their vibrant colors.

Synonyms

to fade
vsto wither
454 1.2

To slowly become less visible, bright, or loud

is physical drying and shriveling rather than loss of color
to die
vsto wither
311 4.8

To stop being felt, as a feeling or idea

is gradual loss of freshness and strength rather than complete end
to dry up
vsto wither
109 2.7

To lose all water or moisture so it has none left

is severe drying that removes moisture rather than general weakening
to languish
vsto wither
32 7.2

To become weak and lose energy because of neglect or sadness

is physical drying and shriveling rather than emotional suffering
to waste away
vsto wither
29 5.5

To become weak and thin because of sickness or not eating enough

is losing freshness and moisture rather than long bodily wasting
to shrivel
vsto wither
26 4.4

To become smaller, dry, and wrinkled because it loses water

is drying and losing vitality rather than just shrinking
to shrivel up
vsto wither
17 3.5

Become small, dry, and wrinkled because it loses water

is drying and losing vitality rather than other change
to rot away
vsto wither
17 4.2

To slowly become weaker or fall apart because it is not cared for

is loss of moisture and strength rather than destructive decay
to welk
vsto wither
  • Archaic
1 9.9

To become limp and dry when a plant has no water

is the modern common term, not the archaic dialect form

Antonyms

to thrive
233 3.2

To grow well and be successful

to flourish
113 4.1

To grow strongly and be healthy or successful

Idioms

to wither on the vine
  • Informal
3 8.2

Fail to grow or succeed because people do not support it

How Withered

to die
∞ 1.0
to shrivel
26 4.4
to wither
50 4.4
to wilt
19 3.7
to droop
19 3.9

Surface Forms

wither infinitive
withered past
withered past participle
withering present participle
withers third person singular

Etymology

The word wither comes from an old English word that meant 'to dry up' or 'to shrivel'. So, to wither is to lose freshness and strength, like a plant that dries and becomes weak.