as in failing
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
1
as in drooping
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fading
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 drying
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
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Recent Examples of wilting
Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 16 Mar. 2026
The first sign your peace lily is thirsty will be yellowing and wilting leaves.
—Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Jan. 2026
No wilting languor on this veranda — for that matter, no veranda either — just ferocity, desperation, and, of course, brutal desire.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 4 Dec. 2025
Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 15 Mar. 2026
Look out for premature dropping of leaves along the stem, brown leaf tips, and wilting, as these can all be signs of both low humidity and lack of soil moisture.
—Derek Carwood, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Mar. 2026
These two are the sole remaining bright spot on this quickly wilting season.
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 20 Feb. 2026
Some professors are treating wilting attention spans as a problem to be solved, not a reality to accept.
—Rose Horowitch, The Atlantic, 30 Jan. 2026
My favorite finds include storage bins for yogurt cups, a butter dish, and an herb saver that prevents basil leaves from wilting.
—Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 14 Jan. 2026
Yellowing, wilting, or leggy growth often improves with simple light, water, or placement tweaks.
—Gemma Johnstone, The Spruce, 12 Jan. 2026
Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 14 Mar. 2026
Rotten flowers sit wilting in a vase, the fireplace is lit, and clothes are strewn around.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 18 Feb. 2026
And Margot Robbie gives the character a sharpness, an agency that’s a relief from the wilting Catherines of yore — which actually makes her ultimate gruesome fate feel that much more tragic.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 16 Feb. 2026
The flowers depressed her, especially those already wilting.
—Allegra Goodman, Literary Hub, 11 Feb. 2026
Houseplants that are already wilting, suffering from root rot, or infested with pests shouldn't be watered with rice water, notes Harryson.
—Lauren David, Martha Stewart, 10 Feb. 2026
Most of the time, the reason your orchid's leaves are wilting is because of a problem with the roots, says Justin Kondrat, lead horticulturist at the Smithsonian Orchid Collection.
—Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Jan. 2026
Yet there the Packers were in Chicago, wilting under the pressure of one yet again.
—Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 11 Jan. 2026
Adrian Kempe and Corey Perry also scored, Darcy Kuemper made 24 saves, and the Kings were able to respond after wilting late in similar circumstances in a 5-3 loss to Tampa Bay on Thursday.
—CBS News, 4 Jan. 2026
Adjective
Keep an eye out for wilting leaves, and check the soil for dryness.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 16 Mar. 2026
The first sign your peace lily is thirsty will be yellowing and wilting leaves.
—Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Jan. 2026
No wilting languor on this veranda — for that matter, no veranda either — just ferocity, desperation, and, of course, brutal desire.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 4 Dec. 2025
Noun
Watering dill the day before harvesting ensures that the leaves are hydrated and not dry or wilting, which gives the leaves better flavor.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 15 Mar. 2026
Look out for premature dropping of leaves along the stem, brown leaf tips, and wilting, as these can all be signs of both low humidity and lack of soil moisture.
—Derek Carwood, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Mar. 2026
These two are the sole remaining bright spot on this quickly wilting season.
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 20 Feb. 2026
Some professors are treating wilting attention spans as a problem to be solved, not a reality to accept.
—Rose Horowitch, The Atlantic, 30 Jan. 2026
My favorite finds include storage bins for yogurt cups, a butter dish, and an herb saver that prevents basil leaves from wilting.
—Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 14 Jan. 2026
Yellowing, wilting, or leggy growth often improves with simple light, water, or placement tweaks.
—Gemma Johnstone, The Spruce, 12 Jan. 2026
Verb
The next morning, the tops of every plant lie wilting on the ground.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 14 Mar. 2026
Rotten flowers sit wilting in a vase, the fireplace is lit, and clothes are strewn around.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 18 Feb. 2026
And Margot Robbie gives the character a sharpness, an agency that’s a relief from the wilting Catherines of yore — which actually makes her ultimate gruesome fate feel that much more tragic.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 16 Feb. 2026
The flowers depressed her, especially those already wilting.
—Allegra Goodman, Literary Hub, 11 Feb. 2026
Houseplants that are already wilting, suffering from root rot, or infested with pests shouldn't be watered with rice water, notes Harryson.
—Lauren David, Martha Stewart, 10 Feb. 2026
Most of the time, the reason your orchid's leaves are wilting is because of a problem with the roots, says Justin Kondrat, lead horticulturist at the Smithsonian Orchid Collection.
—Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Jan. 2026
Yet there the Packers were in Chicago, wilting under the pressure of one yet again.
—Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 11 Jan. 2026
Adrian Kempe and Corey Perry also scored, Darcy Kuemper made 24 saves, and the Kings were able to respond after wilting late in similar circumstances in a 5-3 loss to Tampa Bay on Thursday.
—CBS News, 4 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wilting
Noun
-
Nicole Tallman’s job as a senior staffer under Miami-Dade County’s mayor puts her on the frontlines of county government’s many failings, mishaps and challenges.—
Douglas Hanks
April 1,
Miami Herald,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Before 1956, addiction to drugs and alcohol were considered failings in morality or personal will.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
Paramylodon harlani was not like today’s cutesy tree sloths, drooping in the jungle canopy.—
John Metcalfe,
Mercury News,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Hamlin led 292 of the first 317 laps, but a caution for debris on the racetrack with 89 laps to go came out at the perfect time for Elliott, who was fading rapidly on older tires.—
Jordan Bianchi,
New York Times,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Blooper reels, once common in comedy films, are fading from cinema partly due to the rise of dramatic post-credit epilogues and the shift from DVDs to streaming platforms, experts say.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
30 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
Noun
-
Higher energy prices are also expected to widen India’s current account deficit, which has contributed to a weakening of the local currency, with the rupee touching record lows in recent days.—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Another displacement or weakening of the polar vortex is underway, which can allow bursts of Arctic air to spill into the Midwest and Northeast at times, according to AccuWeather lead long-range meteorologist Paul Pastelok.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
There was the usual assemblage of male and female Anna’s and just a couple of the Allen’s darting out occasionally from the sanctuary of the nearby tree to drink nectar from the hanging feeders.—
Ernie Cowan,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
-
At one point, a part of the big-rig was hanging over the railing.—
Tim Fang,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Wrinkles, sun spots and sagging skin have become so demonized, that even teenagers — decades away from this reality — and increasingly men, previously exempt from this ruinous beauty standard, have started to fear, anticipate and prepare for their arrival.—
Leah Dolan,
CNN Money,
2 Apr. 2026
-
When Nordstrom went private last year, the move was seen by industry analysts as a way to let the founding family make the changes needed to rejuvenate its sagging department store business without being hemmed in by Wall Street’s short-term focus on profits.—
Phil Wahba,
Fortune,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
If the mercury is going to hit 100 degrees and wind is picking up — and in previous years that led to withering flowers — that will guide the prediction.—
Lila Seidman,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Eventually though, Duke wore down the Saints with size and a withering second-half performance on the glass (30-13).—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wilting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wilting. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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