| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | droop, decline |
| Synonyms: | atrophy, become stale, blast, blight, collapse, constrict, contract, decay, deflate, desiccate, deteriorate, die, disintegrate, dry, dry up, fade, fold, languish, perish, shrink, shrivel, wane, waste, waste away, wilt, wizen |
| Notes: | whither is an adverb meaning 'to what place' or a conjunction meaning 'to which place or condition'; wither is a verb meaning 'to dry up or shrivel' |
| Antonyms: | bloom, grow |
| Main Entry: | blight |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | ruin, destroy |
| Synonyms: | annihilate, blast, crush, damage, dash, decay, disappoint, foul up, frustrate, glitch up, injure, mar, mess up*, nip in the bud, nullify, shrivel, spoil, taint, trash*, wither, wreck |
| Antonyms: | aid, bless, guard, help, prosper, protect |
| Main Entry: | burn |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | be on fire; set on fire |
| Synonyms: | bake, be ablaze, blaze, brand, broil, calcine, cauterize, char, combust, conflagrate, cook, cremate, enkindle, flame, flare, flash, flicker, glow, heat, ignite, incinerate, kindle, light, melt, parch, reduce to ashes, rekindle, roast, scald, scorch, sear, set a match to, singe, smoke, smolder, toast, torch, wither |
| Antonyms: | cool, extinguish, put out, quench, smother, wet |
| Main Entry: | contract |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | condense |
| Synonyms: | abate, abbreviate, abridge, become smaller, clench, compress, confine, constrict, consume, curtail, decline, decrease, deflate, draw in, dwindle, ebb, edit, epitomize, evaporate, fall away, fall off, grow less, lessen, lose, narrow, omit, purse, recede, reduce, shrink, shrivel, subside, syncopate, take in, tighten, wane, waste, weaken, wither, wrinkle |
| Notes: | a compact is a formal agreement on rights and conduct, a treaty is a compact between nations, and a contract is a compact between two business entities |
| Antonyms: | amplify, dilate, enlarge, expand, extend, increase, lengthen, spread, stretch |
| Main Entry: | decay |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | deteriorate, crumble |
| Synonyms: | atrophy, be impaired, become contaminated, blight, break up, collapse, corrode, curdle, decline, decompose, defile, degenerate, depreciate, discolor, disintegrate, dissolve, dry-rot, dwindle, fade, fail, get worse, go bad, go to seed, go to the dogs, hit rock bottom, hit the skids, lessen, mildew, mold, molder, mortify, pejorate, perish, pollute, putrefy, putresce, reach depths, rot, sap, shrivel, sicken, sink, slump, spoil, suppurate, turn, wane, waste away, weaken, wear away, wither |
| Antonyms: | build, develop, flourish, germinate, grow, improve, ripen, strengthen |
| Main Entry: | decrease |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | grow less or make less |
| Synonyms: | abate, calm down, check, contract, crumble, curb, curtail, cut down, decay, decline, degenerate, depreciate, deteriorate, devaluate, die down, diminish, droop, drop, drop off, dry up, dwindle, ease, ebb, evaporate, fade, fall off, lessen, let up, lighten, lose edge, lower, modify, narrow down, peter out, quell, quiet, reduce, restrain, run low, settle, shrink, shrivel, sink, slack off, slacken, slash, slow down, slump, soften, subside, tail off, wane, waste, weaken, wear away, wear down, wither |
| Antonyms: | add, develop, enlarge, expand, grow, increase, raise |
| Main Entry: | desiccate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | take moisture out of |
| Synonyms: | anhydrate, dehydrate, deplete, devitalize, divest, drain, dry, dry up, evaporate, exsiccate, parch, sear, shrivel, wither, wizen |
| Antonyms: | moisten, moisturize, wet |
| Main Entry: | disintegrate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | fall apart; reduce to pieces |
| Synonyms: | atomize, break apart, break down, break up, come apart, crumble, decay, decline, decompose, degenerate, deliquesce, descend, detach, dilapidate, disband, disconnect, disimprove, dismantle, disorganize, disperse, disunite, divide, fade away, fall to pieces, molder, pulverize, putrefy, rot, separate, sever, shatter, sink, splinter, spoil, taint, take apart, turn, turn to dust, wash away, wash out, wither, worsen |
| Antonyms: | combine, meld, unite |
| Main Entry: | droop |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | hang down; languish |
| Synonyms: | bend, dangle, decline, depress, diminish, drop, fade, fail, faint, fall down, flag, lean, let down, loll, lop, sag, settle, sink, sling, slouch, slump, subside, suspend, weaken, wilt, wither |
| Antonyms: | inflate, rise |