wilts

verb

present tense third-person singular of wilt
1
as in droops
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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2
as in fades
to lose bodily strength or vigor she had wilted a bit after walking around the hot and humid city

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in dries
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 wilts When to Harvest Spinach Harvest spinach early in the morning when temperatures are cool and before the sun wilts the leaves, says gardening instructor Meg Austin. — Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 7 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wilts
  1. droops
  2. fades
  3. dries
  4. hangs
  5. weakens
  6. sags
  7. goes
  8. fails
Verb
  • The single strand of hair that droops down on his forehead, almost reminiscent of Christopher Reeve’s Superman.
    — Timothy Bella, Washington Post, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Too thick of a mascara coat, and suddenly my gaze droops.
    — Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 8 Jan. 2026
Definition of droops
Verb
  • Duncan says the initial shock usually fades after a round or two, and cycling back and forth multiple times yields better results.
    — Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The stigma fades Adults playing with toys used to be a punchline.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of fades
Verb
  • Once the floor dries, there may be little indication that water had been there at all.
    — Emma Clapp, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Robot vacuums have been cleaning carpets for 20-plus years, but the Robotin R2 Pro, out this fall, washes and dries them.
    — Richard Eisenberg, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of dries
Verb
  • The looming fear of job loss hangs over an entire generation.
    — Scott Levenson, New York Daily News, 18 Oct. 2026
  • At a time of high infant mortality and short lifespans, the specter of early death hangs over them as friends and family members die with great and sudden frequency.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of hangs
Verb
  • Limited inventory continues to support prices, even as buyer demand weakens.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 20 Oct. 2026
  • If the ridge weakens sufficiently, this could eventually open the door to returning rain chances.
    — Michael Autovino, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of weakens
Verb
  • Unfortunately, using too little paint will leave patchy areas and harsh lines, and using too much paint will promote drips and paint that sags.
    — Timothy Dale, The Spruce, 6 July 2026
  • There is no scrapeable archive of how to grasp a wet cup, unload a box that sags in the middle, fold a towel, or help an older adult out of a chair.
    — Robert J. Szczerba, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026
Definition of sags
Verb
  • In Whalefall, written and directed by Brian Duffield, Jay (Abrams) goes diving in the Pacific Ocean to find the remains of his late father Mitt (Josh Brolin), who took his own life a year before amid a terminal illness.
    — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Based on Greaves’ short story, One Night Out centers on a married couple who head out to enjoy a rare date night when their babysitter goes missing.
    — Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of goes
Verb
  • The company surveyed 5,000 global, circular-conscious Gen Z consumers and found that when a garment fails, 1 in 4 consumers leave the brand.
    — Cleo Levin, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Or if the weather fails to cooperate, a moving picture show may be in order.
    — Ed Silverman, STAT, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of fails

Browse Nearby Words

wilting
wilts
wily
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Cite this Entry

“Wilts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wilts. Accessed 25 Oct. 2026.

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