wilt

1 of 3
wəlt,
ˈwilt How to pronounce wilt (audio)

archaic present tense second-person singular of will

wilt

2 of 3

verb

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

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

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
Green Shakshuka With Avocado and Lime This easy twist on classic North African shakshuka (traditionally eggs baked in tomato-pepper sauce, with cumin, paprika and cayenne) starts with an onion-garlic-chard sauteed until gently wilted: a nest of sorts for steam-poaching eggs. Emily Weinstein, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Mar. 2024 Arrange wilted spinach over onions and scatter peas over the top. Sabrina Weiss, Peoplemag, 27 Jan. 2024 The Bulldogs didn't wilt and closed the gap, and the Wildcats ended with their third triple-digit performance this season and first in SEC play since beating Tennessee 107-79 on Jan. 15, 2022. Gary B. Graves, USA TODAY, 21 Jan. 2024 Lenny, who once drew such energy from the dynamism of the camera, now seems to wilt under its gaze, as though diminished by the ever-growing gap between himself and the audience. Justin Chang, Los Angeles Times, 21 Nov. 2023 The greens will wilt slightly to create an incredibly tasty warm salad. Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 22 Feb. 2024 Phoenix was the team this time that rallied to win a game in the fourth after losing their share this season by wilting in the game’s final 12 minutes. Duane Rankin, The Arizona Republic, 17 Jan. 2024 Add the spinach and stir until wilted, about 1 minute. Lynda Balslev, The Mercury News, 15 Jan. 2024 However, City refused to wilt in the face of an exceptionally loud road environment. Aidan Thomas, Baltimore Sun, 9 Feb. 2024
Noun
As soon as the kale wilts slightly and turns brighter green, remove from the heat and toss with a dash of sherry vinegar. Laura McLively, The Mercury News, 23 Jan. 2024 Shake the pan and when the escarole starts to wilt, turn off heat. Claudia Alexander, Hartford Courant, 9 Jan. 2024 Remove from heat; let stand, covered, until spinach wilts, about 5 minutes. Sabrina Weiss, Peoplemag, 6 Nov. 2023 Add kale; use tongs to toss mixture until kale wilts, about 3 minutes. Sabrina Weiss, Peoplemag, 22 Sep. 2023 Here are some common issues: Curling Leaves Bacterial wilt is the most likely culprit of curling leaves. Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2023 That means the plant germinates, sprouts, grows, blooms, wilts, and dies within a singular growing season (usually from spring to the following winter). Kate McGregor, House Beautiful, 2 Aug. 2023 Bacterial wilt occurs when soil temperatures rise, causing rapid yellowing and spotting on leaves. Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2023 To my left, a gray-haired woman in her early ‘70s wilts, balled and grimacing in her Burgundy puffer coat. Jeff Weiss, Spin, 21 Aug. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wilt.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of wilt was circa 1691

Dictionary Entries Near wilt

Cite this Entry

“Wilt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wilt. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

wilt

1 of 3
wəlt How to pronounce wilt (audio)
(ˈ)wilt

archaic present 2nd singular of will

wilt

2 of 3 verb
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
: a plant disease (as one caused by a fungus) marked by wilting of the soft parts of the plant

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