as in failing
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in drying
to lose liveliness, force, or freshness
after six solid hours of painting, his energy was starting to wilt
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 16 Mar. 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
Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Apr. 2026
Signs of overwatering include drooping, wilting, or yellowing leaves.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 7 Apr. 2026
Look out for premature dropping of leaves along the stem, brown leaf tips, and wilting, as these can all be signs of both low humidity and lack of soil moisture.
—Derek Carwood, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Mar. 2026
These two are the sole remaining bright spot on this quickly wilting season.
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 20 Feb. 2026
Some professors are treating wilting attention spans as a problem to be solved, not a reality to accept.
—Rose Horowitch, The Atlantic, 30 Jan. 2026
Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 14 Mar. 2026
Rotten flowers sit wilting in a vase, the fireplace is lit, and clothes are strewn around.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 18 Feb. 2026
And Margot Robbie gives the character a sharpness, an agency that’s a relief from the wilting Catherines of yore — which actually makes her ultimate gruesome fate feel that much more tragic.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 16 Feb. 2026
The flowers depressed her, especially those already wilting.
—Allegra Goodman, Literary Hub, 11 Feb. 2026
Houseplants that are already wilting, suffering from root rot, or infested with pests shouldn't be watered with rice water, notes Harryson.
—Lauren David, Martha Stewart, 10 Feb. 2026
Most of the time, the reason your orchid's leaves are wilting is because of a problem with the roots, says Justin Kondrat, lead horticulturist at the Smithsonian Orchid Collection.
—Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Jan. 2026
Yet there the Packers were in Chicago, wilting under the pressure of one yet again.
—Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 11 Jan. 2026
Adrian Kempe and Corey Perry also scored, Darcy Kuemper made 24 saves, and the Kings were able to respond after wilting late in similar circumstances in a 5-3 loss to Tampa Bay on Thursday.
—CBS News, 4 Jan. 2026
Adjective
Keep an eye out for wilting leaves, and check the soil for dryness.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 16 Mar. 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
April in Central Florida is commonly one of the drier months of the year before summer rains, showing itself instead with brown lawns, wilting bushes, burning forests and smoky skies.
—Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Apr. 2026
Signs of overwatering include drooping, wilting, or yellowing leaves.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 7 Apr. 2026
Look out for premature dropping of leaves along the stem, brown leaf tips, and wilting, as these can all be signs of both low humidity and lack of soil moisture.
—Derek Carwood, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Mar. 2026
These two are the sole remaining bright spot on this quickly wilting season.
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 20 Feb. 2026
Some professors are treating wilting attention spans as a problem to be solved, not a reality to accept.
—Rose Horowitch, The Atlantic, 30 Jan. 2026
Verb
The next morning, the tops of every plant lie wilting on the ground.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 14 Mar. 2026
Rotten flowers sit wilting in a vase, the fireplace is lit, and clothes are strewn around.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 18 Feb. 2026
And Margot Robbie gives the character a sharpness, an agency that’s a relief from the wilting Catherines of yore — which actually makes her ultimate gruesome fate feel that much more tragic.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 16 Feb. 2026
The flowers depressed her, especially those already wilting.
—Allegra Goodman, Literary Hub, 11 Feb. 2026
Houseplants that are already wilting, suffering from root rot, or infested with pests shouldn't be watered with rice water, notes Harryson.
—Lauren David, Martha Stewart, 10 Feb. 2026
Most of the time, the reason your orchid's leaves are wilting is because of a problem with the roots, says Justin Kondrat, lead horticulturist at the Smithsonian Orchid Collection.
—Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Jan. 2026
Yet there the Packers were in Chicago, wilting under the pressure of one yet again.
—Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 11 Jan. 2026
Adrian Kempe and Corey Perry also scored, Darcy Kuemper made 24 saves, and the Kings were able to respond after wilting late in similar circumstances in a 5-3 loss to Tampa Bay on Thursday.
—CBS News, 4 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wilting
Noun
-
Isolated by its beautiful, rugged mountains, West Virginia sits entirely within Appalachia and has long been listed at the bottom of a laundry list of failings, including poor health and a lack of education.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 Apr. 2026
-
More accurately, these failings are arrogance and incompetence.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Wilting or drooping leaves may be obvious but also pay attention to the color.—
Lauren David,
Southern Living,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Potential risks include botulism (a medical emergency), spread of the toxin beyond the injection site, drooping eyelids and other harmful reactions.—
KiMi Robinson,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
As in this moisturizing CeraVe cream, beta-hydroxy acid (BHA) is able to penetrate past superficial layers to turn skin into a smooth canvas while fading age spots and hyperpigmentation.—
Tamim Alnuweiri,
InStyle,
13 Apr. 2026
-
The letters are printed on the sides of the keys rather than the top, which prevents fading.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Most bidet users only use a square of toilet paper for drying.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Avoid cleaning windows in direct sunlight to prevent the cleaning solution from drying too fast.—
Ashley Chalmers,
The Spruce,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
On Saturday, storm chances increase, especially west of DFW, but some weakening is possible as storms move east.—
Nelly Carreno,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
-
The new business frontiers do not indicate a weakening in the AP’s standards of providing fast, accurate, non-biased news, leaders said.—
David Bauder,
Fortune,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Earth was just this lifeboat hanging undisturbingly in the universe.—
William Harwood,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Instead of using an oversized crock or cramming utensils into drawers and making a mess, try hanging them on the wall.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In the Stanford Invitational race video posted by Hedengren’s mother, the two runners embrace at the finish line, the 5-foot-2 Kosgei sagging off the towering BYU runner.—
Bay Area News Group,
Mercury News,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Noticeable sagging or damage The most obvious sign of a deteriorating mattress is sagging or lumps.—
Sharon Brandwein,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
If the mercury is going to hit 100 degrees and wind is picking up — and in previous years that led to withering flowers — that will guide the prediction.—
Lila Seidman,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Eventually though, Duke wore down the Saints with size and a withering second-half performance on the glass (30-13).—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wilting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wilting. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
