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
Stir in spinach; cook until wilted, 2 minutes.
—
Katlyn Moncada, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Mar. 2026
What followed was an incessant attack on the senses as the Premier League champions wilted in the Rams Park cauldron.
—James Pearce, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2026
Allow the soil to dry slightly between waterings, but don’t let the seedlings wilt.
—Holly McNamara, Hartford Courant, 7 Mar. 2026
Cover the pot, and cook until wilted, 3 to 5 minutes.
—Riley Wofford, Martha Stewart, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wilt
Katlyn Moncada, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Mar. 2026
What followed was an incessant attack on the senses as the Premier League champions wilted in the Rams Park cauldron.
—James Pearce, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2026
Allow the soil to dry slightly between waterings, but don’t let the seedlings wilt.
—Holly McNamara, Hartford Courant, 7 Mar. 2026
Cover the pot, and cook until wilted, 3 to 5 minutes.
—Riley Wofford, Martha Stewart, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wilt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wilt
Verb
-
Potential risks include botulism (a medical emergency), spread of the toxin beyond the injection site, drooping eyelids and other harmful reactions.—
KiMi Robinson,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Its owner is a charismatic cowboy over 6 feet tall with slightly drooping jowls and bright blue eyes, a community fixture and something of a local legend.—
Shi En Kim,
AZCentral.com,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Scout seems insightful, based on its response to a question posed by The Associated Press about why one of Silicon Valley's brightest stars faded away a decade ago.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
This year's Oscars may be in the rearview mirror, but for one Detroit designer, the spotlight hasn't faded.—
Lauren Winfrey,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The results could one day help mitigate the problem of toxic dust spewing from the drying lake bed onto Salt Lake City—the Great Salt Lake’s bed is laced with arsenic, a toxic substance that, when people are exposed to it as dust, may cause cancers, respiratory problems and heart disease.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Alcohol can be stinging and drying to the skin.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The video also shows a massive American flag hanging down from the center of the tower.—
Claire Heddles,
Miami Herald,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The most disturbing figure is a blond mannequin who seems to be hanging herself with a mirror instead of a noose.—
Zachary Fine,
New Yorker,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But the president contends there is no excuse for the lack of participation now that Iran's navy has been sunk and its air defenses severely weakened.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
-
In the state’s view, that weakens or muddies the legal boundary between the two types of gambling venues.—
Amanda Greenwood,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Then the strength of their team withered and left them still seeking their first victory under new manager Craig Stammen.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 Mar. 2026
-
But as the airline increasingly relied on land planes, its ties to Dinner Key withered.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
James Madison used a sagging zone defense in the paint or a double-team on Strack in an attempt to slow down the Wildcats, but that left Strack’s teammates open for easy shots.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
21 Mar. 2026
-
Release, for contouring and pressure relief; and Adaptive, to keep the bed from sagging.—
Nashia Baker,
Architectural Digest,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Could a straighter road make cars go faster?—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Mar. 2026
-
To meet his growing costs, Meraj had increased the price of a cup of tea from ten rupees to fifteen, a fifty-per-cent rise (in New York terms, like a cup of drip coffee going from just shy of four dollars to nearly six overnight).—
Nathan Heller,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wilt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wilt. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
