wilt

1 of 3

wəlt,

ˈwilt 

archaic present tense second-person singular of will

wilt

2 of 3

verb

ˈwilt 

wilted; wilting; wilts

intransitive verb

1

a

: to lose turgor from lack of water

the plants wilted in the heat

b

: to become limp

2

: to grow weak or faint : languish

transitive verb

: to cause to wilt

wilt

3 of 3

noun

ˈwilt 

1

: an act or instance of wilting : the state of being wilted

2

a

: a disorder (such as a fungus disease) of plants marked by loss of turgidity in soft tissues with subsequent drooping and often shriveling

called also wilt disease

b

: polyhedrosis of caterpillars

Synonyms

Verb

• droop
• hang
• sag

Examples of wilt in a Sentence

Verb

The hot weather wilted the plants.

The crowd wilted in the heat.

He wilted under the pressure.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Plants infected by the bacterial disease transmitted by these beetles show wilting with a single leaf, which then spreads to the entire plant and results in plant death within a week or so, says Khan. —Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 23 June 2025

Its hype, while intoxicating, eventually wilted away with the passing seasons. —Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 23 June 2025

Noun

Choose plants that are resistant to bacterial wilt. —Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 23 June 2025

In the early 1950s, sociologist Will Herberg argued that just as a bouquet of flowers wilts because the flowers have been cut from their roots, societies that drift from their moral foundations also fade. —Mike Woodruff, Chicago Tribune, 28 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb

alteration of earlier welk, from Middle English welken, probably from Middle Dutch; akin to Old High German erwelkēn to wilt

First Known Use

Verb

circa 1691, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun

1855, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing wilt

• oak wilt
• verticillium wilt

Rhymes for wilt

• built
• gilt
• guilt
• hilt
• kilt
• lilt
• milt
• quilt
• silt
• spilt
• stilt
• tilt

Kids Definition

wilt

1 of 3

wəlt 

(ˈ)wilt

archaic present 2nd singular of will

wilt

2 of 3 verb

ˈwilt 

1

: to lose or cause to lose freshness and become limp : droop

wilting roses

2

: to grow weak or faint

was wilting after hours of dancing

wilt

3 of 3 noun

ˈwilt 

: a plant disease (as one caused by a fungus) marked by wilting of the soft parts of the plant