English Reference
Idiom idiom

wither on the vine


To be unsuccessful due to neglect or inaction.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

Without enough water, the new project will wither on the vine.

CONTEXTUAL

The company had a brilliant idea, but it withered on the vine because nobody invested time or money into it.

COMPLEX

Many promising startups wither on the vine when their founders fail to secure the necessary funding or adapt to changing market conditions.


Related idioms1entry
  1. 01

    die on the vine

    To fail at an early stage or never come to fruition, typically due to neglect, infeasibility, or lack of resources.

Last updated August 10, 2026