To wither means to dry up, shrivel, and die, usually from lack of water or nutrients. A plant withers when it stops getting what it needs: its leaves curl, its stem droops, and its vibrant green color fades to brown. If you forget to water a houseplant for weeks, you'll watch it slowly wither away.

The word often describes plants, but it works for anything that weakens and fades. A person's muscles can wither from lack of use. A friendship can wither if nobody makes an effort to keep it alive. A once-thriving business might wither when customers stop coming.

Withering can also describe a particular kind of harsh look or comment. A withering glare from a teacher makes you feel small and embarrassed, as if you're shriveling under their disapproval. A withering remark cuts so sharply that it seems to shrink the person hearing it.

The word captures that sense of gradual decline rather than sudden destruction. Things don't explode or shatter when they wither; they slowly fade, weaken, and eventually disappear unless something revives them.