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
-
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
-
Once the flowers have faded, trim the stalks 1 to 2 inches above the bulb, retaining the green foliage.—
Cameron Beall,
Southern Living,
8 Jan. 2026
-
The Lakers faded down the stretch to 27 points from the Spurs’ Keldon Johnson and 16 points and 14 rebounds by Victor Wembanyama.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
If the wet area is dried within 24 to 48 hours, mold is less likely to grow.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Each utensil is cleaned, and the bowl is warmed, dried and filled with three scoops of powdered tea before hot water is added and kneaded with the whisk into a smooth, thick mixture.—
The Conversation,
The Conversation,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
One woman carried a flag for Palestine, while a man banging a cowbell hung a flag of communist Cuba on his backpack.—
Asra Q. Nomani , Nikolas Lanum , Michael Dorgan,
FOXNews.com,
9 Jan. 2026
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Keep Messes Hidden If the area under your kitchen or bathroom sink is open, a curtain hung from a tension rod can keep cleaning supplies and necessities hidden, while adding a touch of farmhouse or cottage charm.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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With some estimates putting wave heights as much as 35 feet, weakened hatch covers would have been vulnerable to such waves.—
Stephen J. Beard,
USA Today,
7 Nov. 2025
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The years of horrific violence have weakened Sudan, plunging its institutions into chaos and making its population more vulnerable and poorer.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Russian-Cuban ties withered after the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, plunging Cuba into a grueling depression.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Its unwillingness or inability to act in the face of the offensive brings home, more powerfully than anything else, just how much this branch of government has withered away in recent decades.—
Noah Feldman,
Twin Cities,
24 Dec. 2025
Verb
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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 10 Jan. 2026.
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