1
as in drooped
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in faded
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 dried
to lose liveliness, force, or freshness
after six solid hours of painting, his energy was starting to wilt
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of wilted
The Mets, meanwhile, seek front-line starting pitching after last year’s rotation struggled to provide length and wilted down the stretch.
—
Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 6 Jan. 2026
Instead, wait until late winter or early spring, when the pink and white flowers have wilted.
—Helena Madden, Martha Stewart, 5 Jan. 2026
Stir in basil until wilted, about 1 minute.
—Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 4 Jan. 2026
Stir in kale; let stand until kale is wilted, about 4 minutes.
—Holly Riordan, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Dec. 2025
Former opponents rejoined the CPDM, and the opposition wilted away to an enclave in majority Francophone Cameroon’s English-speaking regions.
—Yonatan Morse, The Conversation, 19 Dec. 2025
Many of those cases have wilted under scrutiny.
—Nicole Foy, ProPublica, 21 Oct. 2025
As many of the NFL’s favorites have wilted over the past month, though, the Lions have quietly built one of the best cases for Super Bowl contention by winning four straight and scoring 34 or more points in every win.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 12 Oct. 2025
Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 6 Jan. 2026
Instead, wait until late winter or early spring, when the pink and white flowers have wilted.
—Helena Madden, Martha Stewart, 5 Jan. 2026
Stir in basil until wilted, about 1 minute.
—Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 4 Jan. 2026
Stir in kale; let stand until kale is wilted, about 4 minutes.
—Holly Riordan, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Dec. 2025
Former opponents rejoined the CPDM, and the opposition wilted away to an enclave in majority Francophone Cameroon’s English-speaking regions.
—Yonatan Morse, The Conversation, 19 Dec. 2025
Many of those cases have wilted under scrutiny.
—Nicole Foy, ProPublica, 21 Oct. 2025
As many of the NFL’s favorites have wilted over the past month, though, the Lions have quietly built one of the best cases for Super Bowl contention by winning four straight and scoring 34 or more points in every win.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 12 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wilted
Verb
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Heads drooped and limbs felt sluggish on the sideline, Jones recounted, as the Broncos fell into a 19-0 deficit through three quarters against the Giants.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
23 Oct. 2025
-
The woman’s husband, a scrawny man in a shabby work uniform, smelling of sewage, drooped behind the gurney.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Her nurse scooped her up and ran to put her into a cold bath, and slowly the motions faded.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Sun-faded and well-worn, a great pair of distressed jeans can tell a story in its patches and tears.—
Rosie Jarman,
Vogue,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The scientists dried a liquid solution containing the supraball structures on the surface of a commercially available thermoelectric generator (TEG)—a device used to convert light into electricity.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Jan. 2026
-
It's typically dried rather than eaten raw, with a brittle shell and stringy pulp that's traditionally cracked open and steeped to make a mildly sweet, herbal tea.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In a video obtained by TMZ, Sweeney, wearing black cargo pants, a black hoodie and a black hat, hung a clothesline of bras over the sign all while being filmed.—
Christina Dugan Ramirez,
FOXNews.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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In Monday’s frigid cold, the Pride flag hung limply from a flagpole barely visible from the windows of the Statehouse.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Demand weakened most sharply in Europe.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Jan. 2026
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In Lebanon, the once formidable Hezbollah has been significantly weakened after 13 months of conflict with Israel and now faces a domestic disarmament campaign.—
Mostafa Salem,
CNN Money,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Last year’s version, which withered on the Senate’s calendar, also included religious organizations.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
15 Jan. 2026
-
Voter turnout has plummeted to humiliating lows, and the regime’s pretense to popular mandate has withered.—
Ali Vaez,
Time,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Pre-festival enthusiasm sagged compared to the inaugural year.—
Théoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Jan. 2026
-
His public approval has mostly sagged since his inauguration as Americans worry about the economy.—
Reuters
Wire Service,
Dallas Morning News,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wilted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wilted. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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