withered Meaning, Definition & Usage

1. verb wither, as with a loss of moisture
   wither; shrivel; shrink; shrivel up.
   
   • The fruit dried and shriveled
2. verb lose freshness, vigor, or vitality
   wither; fade.
   
   • Her bloom was fading
3. adjective satellite lean and wrinkled by shrinkage as from age or illness
   shriveled; 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
4. adjective satellite (used especially of vegetation) having lost all moisture
   sear; shriveled; sere; shrivelled; dried-up.
   
   • dried-up grass
   • the desert was edged with sere vegetation
   • shriveled leaves on the unwatered seedlings
   • withered vines

WordNet