What does shrivel mean?
Shrivel is a verb describing a process of contraction, drying, and wrinkling. A leaf may shrivel in excessive heat, fruit may shrivel as it loses moisture, and skin or fabric can shrivel when it dries or contracts. The verb can be used intransitively, as in “The flowers shriveled,” or transitively, meaning that something causes another thing to become shrunken or wrinkled. Its figurative uses suggest a rapid loss of vitality, confidence, or strength: a speaker may say that fear shriveled their resolve or that criticism shriveled the proposal. Although it shares the sound pattern of “shriver” and “shrivelling,” its central meaning concerns becoming smaller, tighter, or drier. The word is common in both British and American English and is especially memorable in descriptions of sun-dried fruit, parched vegetation, and tissues affected by dehydration.
verbTo become smaller, wrinkled, or dried out, especially through heat, age, or loss of moisture. It can also be used transitively to describe something that makes another thing do this.
- To become wrinkled, reduced in size, or dried out, especially through heat, age, or moisture loss.
- To cause something to become wrinkled, reduced in size, or dried out.
"The leaves shriveled in the intense heat."
"The plants shriveled quickly without regular watering."
"Fear shriveled his confidence in the plan."
A raisin is essentially a grape that has shriveled.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does shrivel come from?
Shrivel is attested in the sixteenth century, but its precise origin is uncertain. It developed in English as a verb meaning to shrink or wither, initially with particular reference to drying and contraction rather than its later figurative meanings. No certain modern cognate can be supplied without making an uncertain etymological claim.
How shrivel is actually used
The word is especially vivid for things that become dry, wrinkled, and reduced in size. In figurative use, it can describe a person appearing diminished by fear, embarrassment, or despair. British and American usage differ mainly in the number of l's in the inflected forms “shrivelled” and “shrivelling,” versus “shriveled” and “shriveling.”