1
as in to droop
to be limp from lack of water or vigor
the plants wilted after I forgot to water them for three whole days
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to fade
to lose bodily strength or vigor
she had wilted a bit after walking around the hot and humid city
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to dry
to lose liveliness, force, or freshness
after six solid hours of painting, his energy was starting to wilt
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of wilt
Spinach Freezing preserves spinach's freshness because it’s typically done at peak ripeness, helping lock in nutrients before the leaves have time to wilt.
—
Amy Brownstein, Verywell Health, 28 May 2026
Under Bednar’s watch, the Avs wilted under the LED lights washing over Bruno Mars Drive and The Strip.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 27 May 2026
Mitch Marner, who was supposed to be an ultra-talented player who wilted under the pressure of the playoffs, found another level to his game.
—Jesse Granger, New York Times, 27 May 2026
Overwatering Overly wet soil causes plants to wilt too.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for wilt
Amy Brownstein, Verywell Health, 28 May 2026
Under Bednar’s watch, the Avs wilted under the LED lights washing over Bruno Mars Drive and The Strip.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 27 May 2026
Mitch Marner, who was supposed to be an ultra-talented player who wilted under the pressure of the playoffs, found another level to his game.
—Jesse Granger, New York Times, 27 May 2026
Overwatering Overly wet soil causes plants to wilt too.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for wilt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wilt
Verb
-
As of this writing, Becerra holds his advantage, or what remains of it, and looks on track to take the drooping cake.—
Nathan Heller,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
-
If there’s an extended dry period and the foliage is drooping, give the cosmos plant some water.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
While desirable homes still sell quickly, frenzied bidding wars have faded.—
Sara B. Hansen,
Denver Post,
29 May 2026
-
Deadheading Is Another Form Of Pinching Back Deadheading is similar to pinching back, but it is done once the flowers begin to fade.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
The store offers an extensive botanical shop and with a large assortment of both faux and dried botanicals for DIY arrangements or on-site styling help from an expert.—
Fousia Abdullahi,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
2 June 2026
-
Cows produce more colostrum than their calves need, so the excess is collected, pasteurized, dried and packaged for human consumption.—
Suzanne Nuyen,
NPR,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
Given the dramatic manner in which the hulking piers marched down the center of the institution’s narrow corridor, flanked by the photographer’s three-inch-square Polaroids, hung as if in awed supplication, the effect verged on hyperbole, the gnomic ceding to the grandiose.—
James Quandt,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
-
Portraits of the Hobhouse family, who lived here for more than two centuries, hang alongside tapestry wall trophies in the drawing room, while the teal bar mixes original cornicing with vibrant bamboo chairs.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
The Reserve Bank of Australia will likely focus on the strength of private demand before factoring in the conflict, alongside inflation risks stemming from weak productivity and rising unit labor costs, according to Stenner, who expects household consumption to weaken in the second quarter.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
3 June 2026
-
Critics counter that scarcity alone does not guarantee value if investor demand weakens.—
Sharon Wu,
USA Today,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
The Chanel suits, dark glasses, nasal voice and withering judgments became part of the national image.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 June 2026
-
Months of withering brutal weather gave way to soccer abandon on the turf, as two of Ottawa’s best junior teams clashed in the sunlight.—
Paula Newton,
CNN Money,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
Trump’s sagging approval rating comes as Democrats have a chance at outperforming Republicans in midterms, with Emerson’s May poll showing Democrats with a 9-point advantage on the generic congressional ballot, though 9% of voters were undecided.—
Sara Dorn,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
-
Stock performance by Salesforce on Thursday, which sagged despite an impressive beat on profits and revenues, is emblematic of the troubles facing software.—
Tobias Burns,
CNBC,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
Butlers here are called Aris Meehas, a historical Maldivian reference to someone assigned to serve royalty—thankfully, interactions are more easy-going than overly deferential.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
1 June 2026
-
After more than five innings of the Bulldogs trailing Liberty by one, struggling to get anything going, the Georgia third baseman crushed a two-run home run to left field.—
Sarah Spencer,
AJC.com,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wilt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wilt. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
