verb

shrivel

SHRIV-ul/ˈʃrɪvl/

To become or make smaller and wrinkled through drying.

The grapes shrivel into wrinkled raisins.

A simple left-to-right three-stage sequence shows a plump purple grape becoming progressively smaller, drier, and deeply wrinkled until it is a raisin.

Etymology

The word’s origin is unknown. A Scandinavian source has been suggested, with Swedish skryvla, “to wrinkle, shrivel,” offered as a comparison, but this does not establish its ancestry.

In context

CrashCourse3:53

water would rush out of my cell, and it would shrivel up and be useless

In Da Club - Membranes & Transport: Crash Course Biology #5

More examples

Heat shrivels the leaves at the edge of the garden.
The apple has shriveled since last week.
She removes the shriveled berries from the bowl.

Forms

shrivel · shrivels · shriveled · shriveling

Similar words

wither: Wither often describes plants losing freshness; shrivel emphasizes shrinking and wrinkling.
shrink: Shrink means become smaller; shrivel adds wrinkling or drying.