shriveled Meaning, Definition & Usage

1. verb wither, as with a loss of moisture
   wither; shrivel; shrink; shrivel up.
   
   • The fruit dried and shriveled
2. verb decrease in size, range, or extent
   shrivel; shrink.
   
   • His earnings shrank
   • My courage shrivelled when I saw the task before me
3. adjective satellite (used especially of vegetation) having lost all moisture
   withered; sear; sere; shrivelled; dried-up.
   
   • dried-up grass
   • the desert was edged with sere vegetation
   • shriveled leaves on the unwatered seedlings
   • withered vines
4. adjective satellite lean and wrinkled by shrinkage as from age or illness
   withered; wizen; wizened; shrivelled; shrunken.
   
   • the old woman's shriveled skin
   • he looked shriveled and ill
   • a shrunken old man
   • a lanky scarecrow of a man with withered face and lantern jaws"-W.F.Starkie
   • he did well despite his withered arm
   • a wizened little man with frizzy grey hair
5. adjective satellite reduced in efficacy or vitality or intensity
   shrivelled; shrunken.
   
   • our shriveled receipts during the storm
   • as the project wore on she found her enthusiasm shriveled
   • the dollar's shrunken buying power

WordNet