withering 1 of 2

noun

Definition of witheringnext
as in failing

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

withering

2 of 2

verb

present participle of wither
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for withering
  1. failing
  2. deterioration
  3. weakening
  4. degeneration
  5. decline
Noun
  • The incident and subsequent reports on safety failings by ride operators led to the Tyre Sampson Act, a pair of bills unanimously approved by the Florida Legislature in 2023 that closed gaps in ride safety laws.
    Cristóbal Reyes, Orlando Sentinel, 6 Dec. 2024
  • The rise of a more populist GOP and the growing sense that the right must confront the failings of higher education means that things are likely to go very differently in a second Trump administration.
    Frederick Hess, Forbes, 5 Dec. 2024
Definition of failing
Noun
  • Coined as far back as 1854 by Henry David Thoreau in Walden, the idea of mental deterioration from trivial distractions has never been more relevant.
    Mark Travers, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024
  • Tedeschi credits Park Road with heroic work on the Maysles footage, which was delivered to them in various stages of deterioration.
    Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 5 Dec. 2024
Definition of deterioration
Verb
  • One concern Giordano brings up is rapamycin further weakening a person’s immune system.
    Jocelyn Solis-Moreira, Flow Space, 10 Dec. 2024
  • Additionally, stronger enforcement of existing sanctions and the introduction of tariffs on Russian goods, in addition to the goods of its backers — weakening Putin’s grip on power and the Russian economy.
    Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, TIME, 10 Dec. 2024
Definition of weakening
Noun
  • Researchers believe that the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds found in fresh and dried garlic may help reduce inflammation in the brain and protect against nerve cell degeneration, which could help support overall brain health and reduce the risk of cognitive decline.4 3.
    Jillian Kubala, Health, 10 Dec. 2024
  • In the spring of 1993, nerve degeneration from ALS began causing Woody’s speech to slur.
    Shaun Raviv, WIRED, 21 Jan. 2020
Definition of degeneration
Noun
  • The decline in childhood vaccination rates threaten herd immunity and will ultimately allow diseases that were thought to be eradicated to reappear.
    Omer Awan, Forbes, 15 Dec. 2024
  • The decline may not seem like a lot, but even a small shift matters in close elections — especially in battleground states with large union memberships, such as Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
    Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 15 Dec. 2024
Definition of decline
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Thesaurus Entries Near withering

withered

withering

withers

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Cite this Entry

“Withering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/withering. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

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More from Merriam-Webster on withering

Nglish: Translation of withering for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of withering for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about withering

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