What does shriveled mean?
Shriveled describes something that has become dried, wrinkled, and smaller, usually because it has lost moisture or continued to age. The word is especially evocative when applied to skin, leaves, fruit, or other organic matter: a hot summer can leave leaves shriveled, while neglected fruit may become shriveled on the branch. As a verb, shrivel describes either the process of contracting or drying up, as in “The flowers shriveled in the heat,” or the action of causing that result. It can also be used figuratively to portray people or institutions as diminished, withered, or worn down. Although the basic sense is literal, the word’s forceful imagery gives it a somewhat dramatic or vivid quality. It is especially useful when the cause of drying or contraction should be suggested without explicitly stating it.
Dried up, wrinkled, and reduced in size, especially as a result of age, heat, or lack of moisture.
"The shriveled leaves curled around the dry stalks."
The US spelling is shriveled; shrivelled is used in British English.
To become dried, wrinkled, or contracted, or to cause something to become so.
"The unused apples shriveled in the pantry over the winter."
The third-person singular is shrivels, the simple past is shriveled or shrivelled, and the present participle is shriveling or shrivelling.
Raisins are essentially grapes that made the professional decision to shrivel.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does shriveled come from?
The precise origin of shrivel is uncertain, although English has used forms of the word since the Middle English period. It has often been linked with shrive and related forms such as shreven and shrift, which derive from Old English scrīfan, meaning to allot, divide, or decide. The relationship is not entirely secure, and the modern sense of shrinking, drying up, or becoming wrinkled developed within English.
Related word forms
How shriveled is actually used
Shriveled is the usual American spelling, while shrivelled is standard in British English. The word is common in literal descriptions and can be used figuratively for people or things that appear aged, diminished, or neglected. It sometimes carries a vivid or slightly dramatic tone.
Easily confused with shriveled
Shriveled describes something dried, wrinkled, or contracted, whereas shivered means trembled slightly or violently.