# withered

/ˈwɪðɝd/ (US) · /wˈɪðəd/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/withered
Updated: 2026-05-19

## Definition

to lose water and become dry, thin, or dead. You often see this happen to plants when they do not get enough water or light.

For teachers: to lose moisture and become dry, shrivelled, or dead. Often describes the physical state of plants or the emotional state of a person.

## Examples

- The flowers withered in the heat of the summer.
- After the long drought, the once-green fields were reduced to a patchwork of withered grass and dry soil.
- The old man's face was lined with the marks of a life spent in the sun, his skin withered by decades of exposure to the harsh desert winds.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.