withered
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Adjective: 1. Dried up and shriveled, often due to loss of moisture: Describes something, especially vegetation, that has become dry, thin, and wrinkled because it lacks water or is old. 2. Appearing shrunken and wrinkled, as from age or illness: Describes a part of a living body (like skin or a limb) that has become thin, weak, and wrinkled, often due to atrophy, disease, or advanced age.
Usage and Examples
- Describing dried plants:
- The withered leaves crumbled to dust in my hand.
- After weeks of drought, the field was full of withered grass.
- Describing aged or atrophied body parts:
- He clasped my hand with his withered fingers.
- The disease left her arm partially withered.
Advanced Usage
- Figurative Use: Can describe something that has lost its vitality, force, or popularity.
- His withered hopes could not be revived.
- The once-famous movement is now a withered ideology.
Variants and Related Words
- Wither (verb): To become dry and shrivel; to cause to fade or decay.
- The flowers will wither without water.
- Withering (adjective): Intensely scornful or damaging.
- She gave him a withering look.
Synonyms
- Shriveled: Wrinkled and contracted, especially due to loss of moisture.
- Sere: (Literary) Dry and withered.
- Shrunken: Reduced in size, often appearing wrinkled.
- Wizened: Shriveled or wrinkled with age.
Antonyms
- Lush: (For vegetation) Growing luxuriantly.
- Plump: Full and rounded in form.
- Vibrant: Full of life and energy.
Adjective
- (used especially of vegetation) having lost all moisture
- dried-up grass
- the desert was edged with sere vegetation
- shriveled leaves on the unwatered seedlings
- withered vines
- lean and wrinkled by shrinkage as from age or illness
- 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