verb (used with or without object),shriv·eled,shriv·el·ing or (especially British) shriv·elled,shriv·el·ling.
to contract and wrinkle, as from great heat, cold, or dryness.
to wither; make or become helpless or useless.
Origin of shrivel
First recorded in 1595–1605; akin to Swedish skroflig “uneven, rough” (perhaps originally “wrinkled, shrunken”), dialectal Swedish skryvla “to wrinkle,” Old English sceorfan “to roughen”; see scurf
Some females will take on multiple live-in boyfriends, with her body providing them nutrients as they shrivel into lazy sacks of sperm to fertilize her eggs.
Egg yolk color doesn’t mean what you think it does|PopSci Staff|October 15, 2020|Popular Science
As stores shuttered and revenue shriveled, it would have been easy for brands and media companies across the board to simply focus on keeping the doors open.
Digiday Resilience Awards winners: How brands protected their workers and gave back to the world in a time of crisis|Digiday Awards|October 8, 2020|Digiday
Delayed action will only allow more small businesses to shrivel and die, and our streets to therefore become less welcoming and safe.
Myths and Shame Shouldn’t Guide Cannabis Regulations|John Bertsch|September 8, 2020|Voice of San Diego
For some time, those contractors have faced the reality of a GOP increasingly willing to shrivel defense budgets.
The Dems’ Fork in the Road|David Frum|November 12, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Presidential power, like a muscle, can strengthen if exercised effectively—or shrivel.
Obama and Syria: Fighting the Wimp Factor|Gil Troy|September 18, 2013|DAILY BEAST
However, if asked to bet whether right-wing apoplexy will grow or shrivel, the smart money obviously has to say the former.
The Best Republican Efforts Are Not Enough to Defund Obamacare|Michael Tomasky|August 23, 2013|DAILY BEAST
When their fears are realized and the island looks likely to “shrivel and die” the seamen are driven to drastic measures.
Must Read Novels: Ballard, Dybek, and Krasznahorkai|Jacob Silverman, Malcolm Forbes, John McIntyre|April 23, 2012|DAILY BEAST
After spinning for four or five days their supply of silk becomes exhausted and they shrivel up and apparently die.
Two Years in the Forbidden City|The Princess Der Ling
An excellent dessert apple, in use during October and November, after which it becomes dry and meally but does not shrivel.
British Pomology|Robert Hogg
They did not know about these scorching August winds, that might shrivel crops in a day.
The Flying U's Last Stand|B. M. Bower
And while she contemplated so horrible a catastrophe, she seemed to shrivel and wilt in a furnace of secret shame.
The Game|Jack London
The Bee is to her a worthless remnant, which will shrivel where it lies and be dissected by the Ants.
More Hunting Wasps|J. Henri Fabre
British Dictionary definitions for shrivel
shrivel
/ (ˈʃrɪvəl) /
verb-els, -ellingor-elledorUS-els, -elingor-eled
to make or become shrunken and withered
to lose or cause to lose vitality
Word Origin for shrivel
C16: probably of Scandinavian origin; compare Swedish dialect skryvla wrinkle