shrivel
B2neutral, slightly more common in written than spoken English
Definition
Meaning
To become or cause something to become smaller, wrinkled, and dry due to loss of moisture, often suggesting a loss of vitality or life.
To lose strength, power, or importance; to dwindle or wither away, especially in a figurative sense.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily used for organic or soft materials (plants, skin). Strongly implies a negative, undesirable change. Can be used both transitively and intransitively. Often paired with prepositions 'up' or 'away'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling: Past tense and present participle are 'shrivelled', 'shrivelling' in British English, versus 'shriveled', 'shriveling' in American English. No significant difference in meaning or usage.
Connotations
Identical in both varieties.
Frequency
Slightly more common in American English corpora, but the difference is marginal.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[SHRIVEL] (intransitive): The flowers shrivelled.[SHRIVEL something] (transitive): The drought shrivelled the crops.[SHRIVEL up/away]: The stream shrivelled up in the summer heat.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “shrivel on the vine (to fail or be abandoned)”
- “make someone's blood shrivel (to terrify or horrify someone - archaic/rare)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used metaphorically for markets, profits, or opportunities that diminish or dry up (e.g., 'Funding shrivelled during the recession').
Academic
Common in biological and environmental sciences to describe physical processes of dehydration in organisms.
Everyday
Most common for describing food (fruit, vegetables), plants, or skin (e.g., 'My hands shrivel in the bath').
Technical
Used in botany, dermatology, and agriculture to describe specific states of moisture loss.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The grapes had shrivelled into raisins on the vine.
- His confidence seemed to shrivel under her critical gaze.
American English
- The flowers shriveled without water for a week.
- The company's market share shriveled after the scandal.
adjective
British English
- He picked up the shrivelled apple core.
- She had a few shrivelled leaves pressed in her book.
American English
- They found a shriveled piece of leather in the attic.
- The shriveled balloon was stuck to the ceiling.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The leaf shrivelled in the sun.
- If you don't water it, the plant will shrivel.
- The heat caused the fruit to shrivel up on the branches.
- My skin always shrivels when I swim for too long.
- Public support for the policy began to shrivel after the report was published.
- The once-mighty river had shrivelled to a trickle.
- The economic sanctions have effectively shrivelled the nation's foreign currency reserves.
- Her enthusiasm shrivelled into cynicism after years of bureaucratic delays.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a SHRImpel (wrinkle) developing on a shrivelED leaf. SHRImpel + shrivelED = SHRIVEL.
Conceptual Metaphor
LACK OF MOISTURE IS LACK OF LIFE/VITALITY; REDUCTION IN SIZE IS A NEGATIVE CHANGE.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'морщиться' (to wrinkle, but from pressure, not necessarily moisture loss). 'Сморщиться' is closer. Avoid using for metal/plastic crumpling – use 'crumple' or 'crush'.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: *The paper shriveled in the fire. (Correct: *The paper charred/burned.*) | Incorrect preposition: *shrivel to (Correct: shrivel into).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'shrivel' used LEAST appropriately?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, while most common for organic matter (plants, skin), it can be used figuratively for non-living things like profits, hopes, or rivers ('the riverbed shrivelled').
They are often synonymous. 'Wither' can imply a slower, more gradual process of fading, while 'shrivel' emphasizes the physical wrinkling and contraction. 'Wither' is also more common for figurative use in phrases like 'withering glance'.
No, it can be used alone. However, 'shrivel up' is a very common phrasal verb that adds emphasis on the completion of the process. 'Shrivel away' is less common.
Extremely rarely. Its core meaning is one of loss and deterioration. A possible positive use might be in a specific context like 'shrivel a tumour', but generally, it carries a negative tone.