die back

verb

To wither, particularly during the winter.

Similar
die down
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Meanings

verbdie back (third-person singular simple present dies back, present participle dying back, simple past and past participle died back)

present singular third person dies back · participle present dying back · participle past died back · past died back

  1. biologyTo wither, particularly during the winter.

    The same walls, when the Virginia creeper dies back in winter, show a date-mark of 1490.

    1980, AA Book of British Villages, Drive Publications Ltd, page 240
    1 more example

    The changing weather pattern, and in particular warmer winters, has also affected the inspection of earthworks. Lineside vegetation is not dying back as previously and has to be cleared before any inspections can take place.

    2023 May 3, 'Industry Insider', “Funds for railway's upkeep”, in RAIL, number 982, page 84

Synonyms & antonyms

verbsuffer from a disease that kills shoots

Similar
die down
Broader
shrivelshrivel upshrink
Also see
die down

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Cite this entry
APA

die back. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/die%20back

MLA

“die back.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/die%20back. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “die back,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/die%20back.

Source: die back on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.