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
Many of those cases have wilted under scrutiny.
—
Nicole Foy, ProPublica, 21 Oct. 2025
Now is not the time for pastors to wilt or keep our heads down, hoping against hope that we won’t be noticed.
—Rev. Nathan Empsall, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
But with a World Cup on the horizon, there are important lessons to be learned about how to show cunning and not wilt against experienced players.
—Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2025
The best part is that it can be displayed anywhere once completed, and the pretty flowers won’t ever wilt (no watering required!).
—Clara McMahon, PEOPLE, 7 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wilt
Nicole Foy, ProPublica, 21 Oct. 2025
Now is not the time for pastors to wilt or keep our heads down, hoping against hope that we won’t be noticed.
—Rev. Nathan Empsall, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
But with a World Cup on the horizon, there are important lessons to be learned about how to show cunning and not wilt against experienced players.
—Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2025
The best part is that it can be displayed anywhere once completed, and the pretty flowers won’t ever wilt (no watering required!).
—Clara McMahon, PEOPLE, 7 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wilt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wilt
Verb
-
Termites have wings that are roughly equal in length and antennae that are straight, but may droop.—
Soo Kim,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
-
When the leaves begin to droop and turn brown, the bulbs are ready to harvest.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Mankinlu Maple Leaf Solar Pathway Lights As daylight starts to fade earlier, these cute pathway lights add both charm and function to your yard.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 Oct. 2025
-
The Trail Blazers faded in the fourth quarter en route to a 118-114 loss to the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night.—
Ben Verbrugge,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Other nice features include a handle that drops parallel with the floor to clean under furniture and a sponge mode that uses suction to help dry the floor after mopping.—
Editors of Bon Appétit,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
29 Oct. 2025
-
Dry hair doesn’t curl as easily as damp hair, while hair that’s soaking wet requires too much time to dry in the rollers.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Stuart Jeffery, leader of the council, has written to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, urging the British government to introduce legislation that would grant a general pardon to those executed under the Witchcraft Act of 1562, including the women hanged at Penenden Heath in 1652.—
James Frater,
CNN Money,
31 Oct. 2025
-
The single panels have two hanging options, including a 3-inch rod pocket or back tabs that can hold curtain rings.—
Rachel Trujillo,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
At the same time, leaving grass too long over the winter can shade the soil and weaken the grass.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
31 Oct. 2025
-
In addition to the GOP leaders, most rank-and-file Senate Republicans also oppose repealing the filibuster that’s been slowly weakened by both parties in recent decades for Executive Branch and judicial nominees.—
Ramsey Touchberry,
The Washington Examiner,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
But after withering on the Houston bench for two years in an overcrowded forward rotation, he’s primed for a leap in Year 3.—
John Hollinger,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
-
This week’s chilly temperatures may have Hoosiers shivering but garden plants may be withering.—
Karl Schneider,
IndyStar,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The structures were sagging under the weight of so many books.—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
20 Oct. 2025
-
The dilapidated wooden trim and sagging porticos were spruced up a few years ago after preservationists complained to the Landmarks Preservation Commission, but the upstairs windows reveal glimpses of peeling paint, crumbling plaster, and collapsing ceilings inside.—
Kim Velsey,
Curbed,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Its share price collapsed a few months after going public, losing a third of its value since the start of the year before Monday's news.—
NPR,
NPR,
4 Nov. 2025
-
The honks of wild Canada geese, for instance, fresh out of the Arctic and now high in the clouds going south, signal a change in seasons for me.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wilt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wilt. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share