shrivel

B2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˈʃrɪvəl/ UK /ˈʃrɪvl̩/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

verb
to become or make something dry and wrinkled, often due to loss of moisture

The leaves began to shrivel in the heat.
2

verb
to become or make something smaller and less important

His confidence seemed to shrivel after the criticism.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Multiword verbs with shrivel

shrivel up Phrasal verb B2

to become dry, smaller, and wrinkled

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to become or make something... wither wiltdry upcontract wrinkle

2 verb · to become or make something... shrink dwindle diminish reduce lessen

Opposites

swell expand grow plump

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

shrivel up
to become dry, smaller, and wrinkled

Verb + adverb

Simplified etymology

Shrivel entered English in the mid-16th century from a Scandinavian word related to the Germanic family that also produced shrink.

Etymology

Of Germanic origin, ultimately from a root meaning 'to cut or shrink'; recorded in Middle English (14th c.) shrivel ('to contract; to wrinkle') into Modern English shrivel ('to contract and wrinkle, often from loss of moisture').

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# shrivel

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈʃrɪvəl/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈʃrɪvl̩/

## Meanings
1. to become or make something dry and wrinkled, often due to loss of moisture
2. to become or make something smaller and less important

## Examples
- The leaves began to shrivel in the heat.
- His confidence seemed to shrivel after the criticism.

## Synonyms
- wither
- wilt
- dry up
- contract
- wrinkle
- shrink
- dwindle
- diminish
- reduce
- lessen

## Antonyms
- swell
- expand
- grow
- plump

## Etymology
Of Germanic origin, ultimately from a root meaning 'to cut or shrink'; recorded in Middle English (14th c.) shrivel ('to contract; to wrinkle') into Modern English shrivel ('to contract and wrinkle, often from loss of moisture').

## AI Etymology
Shrivel is traced through of Germanic origin, ultimately from a root meaning 'to cut or shrink'; recorded in Middle English (14th c.) shrivel ('to contract; to wrinkle') into Modern English shrivel ('to contract and wrinkle, often from loss of moisture'). In current use it is a verb meaning "to become or make something dry and wrinkled, often due to loss of moisture". That sense is explained by the older material without requiring a speculative semantic step: the inherited or borrowed base supplies the field of meaning, while the English formation fixes its modern role. The history is mainly one of transmission into English, with the older form and sense carried through borrowing or adaptation. For dictionary purposes, the important point is the continuity between the older form, the route into English, and the present lexical sense.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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