wilting 1 of 3

adjective

as in sagging

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wilting

2 of 3

noun

as in failing

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Dissimilar Words

wilting

3 of 3

verb

present participle of wilt
1
as in drooping
to be limp from lack of water or vigor the plants wilted after I forgot to water them for three whole days

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fading
to lose bodily strength or vigor she had wilted a bit after walking around the hot and humid city

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3
as in drying
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

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 wilting
Adjective
Look for wilting flowers and any blooms forming seed pods at their base. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 30 June 2026 The first sign your peace lily is thirsty will be yellowing and wilting leaves. — Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Jan. 2026 No wilting languor on this veranda — for that matter, no veranda either — just ferocity, desperation, and, of course, brutal desire. — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 4 Dec. 2025
Noun
Mulch around the plant to preserve soil moisture and continue this watering routine until the wilting stops. — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 15 July 2026 Surround the containers of cuttings with clear plastic, which provides high humidity to prevent wilting and speed rooting. — Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 July 2026 Snip the entire stalk, not just the flower head, of individual wilting or dying flowers down to the node so the plant will send out new blooms. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 30 June 2026
Verb
Alcaraz missed this year's French Open — and Wimbledon — with a wrist injury, and Sinner was eliminated in the second round in Paris after wilting in the heat. — ABC News, 12 July 2026 Unfortunately, hydrangeas are notorious for wilting quickly once cut, and keeping them looking fresh can prove difficult. — Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 6 July 2026 Underwatering Gardening expert Jen McDonald says that underwatering is the most common reason for petunias wilting. — Abby Monteil, The Spruce, 27 June 2026 While wearing the glasses, a wearer can ask questions about topics in one's surroundings, like asking for more information about a landmark on vacation, identifying care instructions for a wilting plant or discovering a full recipe for a dish at a favorite restaurant. — Greta Cross, USA Today, 23 June 2026 Intended as a celebration of the progress embodied by the nation's first Black leader, its Juneteenth unveiling comes at a time when his agenda - and broader diversity initiatives - are wilting from a decade of concerted attack. — Cbs Chicago Team, CBS News, 18 June 2026 These will still need regular watering but might just make it through the day without wilting. — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 12 June 2026 Beating the spotlight-wilting Maple Leafs was one thing. — Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 11 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wilting
  1. failing
  2. drooping
  3. fading
  4. drying
  5. weakening
  6. hanging
  7. sagging
  8. withering
Noun
  • Though her father has moved to Savannah in the faint hope of reviving his relationship with her and his grandchildren, Anna has wisely kept her distance from him, given his criminal past and his as-yet-unarticulated failings as a parent.
    — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 10 July 2026
  • Anti-merit education experiments of the 2010s and early 2020s are unpopular and failing.
    — Neetu Arnold, Washington Post, 8 July 2026
Definition of failing
Verb
  • Look for wilting, drooping, discolored, or diseased leaves regularly to keep up the plant’s appearance.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 30 June 2026
  • North says to keep the soil moist and watch for drooping leaves, which indicate your tree needs a drink.
    — Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 25 June 2026
Definition of drooping
Verb
  • Bullish risk reversal In an attempt to capitalize on the historically expensive downside SPCX options and position for a violent snap-back, this risk reversal seeks to finance upside exposure by fading the put skew.
    — Jeff Kilburg, CNBC, 17 July 2026
  • Designed to resist fading from chlorine and sunscreen, the material will stay intact for many summers to come.
    — Alexandra Malmed, InStyle, 16 July 2026
Definition of fading
Verb
  • Place the bottle parts on a drying rack or a clean towel with the mouth of the bottle facing down.
    — Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 July 2026
  • Scientists at Pennsylvania State University have developed a novel conductive ink that can be painted directly onto the skin in colorful custom designs, turning into a functional electrode for biomonitoring after drying.
    — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 14 July 2026
Definition of drying
Noun
  • Numbers released by the company behind Gatorade and Doritos showed weakening trends in its North American food and drinks businesses.
    — Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
  • Spongy or uneven surfaces are caused by structural weakening from internal damage.
    — Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 July 2026
Definition of weakening
Verb
  • One notable exception was our guide for the nature walk and hanging bridges hike, who was knowledgeable and friendly.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 July 2026
  • Especially in containers and hanging baskets, regular fertilizing is essential for keeping petunias blooming and vigorous all summer long.
    — Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 July 2026
Definition of hanging
Verb
  • Certainly no wild horse had made the round imprints that led through the sagging door of that old building.
    — Frank C. Hibben, Outdoor Life, 15 July 2026
  • The company was adding 18,000 square feet to 15 upper floors of the building, and the additional load caused two columns to bend, sagging the floors – some as much as 4 inches, Nathan Berman, founder and managing principal of MetroLoft, told CNN.
    — Gloria Pazmino, CNN Money, 11 July 2026
Definition of sagging
Verb
  • The truth was that all of it was, and is, simply withering away.
    — Ann Manov, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026
  • Among the other Paris attractions to close amid the withering heat are Notre-Dame de Paris, which closed its towers earlier this week, and the Palais de Tokyo, which has shuttered its exhibitions entirely from June 22 through June 27.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 24 June 2026
Definition of withering

Browse Nearby Words

wilted
wilting
wilts
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Cite this Entry

“Wilting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wilting. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

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