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Definition of "shrivel" [shriv•el]

  • To become or make shrunken and wrinkled, often by drying: Leaves die, fall, and shrivel. The heat shriveled the unwatered seedlings. (verb-transitive)
  • To lose or cause to lose vitality or intensity: My enthusiasm shriveled as the project wore on. Inflation shriveled the buying power of the dollar. (verb-transitive)
  • To become or make much less or smaller; dwindle. (verb-transitive)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "shrivel" in a sentence
  • "Okay, why did my brain shrivel to the size and consistency of a pea after two kids and you just had a baby and show no signs of “baby brain” at all."
  • "But consider yourself lucky: if I were really to blog about our sex life you KNOW that your testicles would shrivel from the embarassment."
  • "He even used "going forward," a term to shrivel the heart of anyone toiling at a corporation that values meaningless management-talk."