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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fades
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 dries
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 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
  • Too thick of a mascara coat, and suddenly my gaze droops.
    — Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 8 Jan. 2026
  • The cream should hold a soft, semi-sturdy peak that gently droops at the tip without collapsing entirely.
    — Gabi De la Rosa, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2025
Definition of droops
Verb
  • Stimulus trickling in Economists expect better growth for the rest of the year, as adverse weather fades and local governments accelerate fiscal spending.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The sibling drama, meanwhile, rather fades out of view amid these loftier goings-on; the film’s narrative begins to feel devised by the old parlor game Consequences, repeatedly wrenched in erratic new directions.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of fades
Verb
  • This powerful, compact tool dries hair fast without heat damage.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Use special potting mix and water only when the soil dries completely.
    — Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of dries
Verb
  • Above the staircase hangs a glimmering bronze-and-glass chandelier, a more conventional way of filling empty space on a superyacht—if conventional is the right word for a chandelier that weighs 350 kilograms.
    — Dea Jusufi, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Instead, his navy jersey, meticulously embroidered with a white number 16 hangs unfettered with his unworn Bears helmet resting on a shelf above.
    — Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of hangs
Verb
  • Even if Korea can maintain 2% economic growth over the next two decades, consumption growth gradually weakens and eventually turns negative, according to Goldman’s long-term modeling.
    — Mia Osmonbekov, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026
  • As that frozen ground warms and ice inside thaws, the cement weakens, and slopes that stood for thousands of years can lose their grip.
    — Umesh Haritashya, The Conversation, 29 Aug. 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
  • Under that framework, 50% of income goes toward needs such as housing and utilities, 30% is reserved for discretionary spending and 20% is dedicated to savings and investments.
    — Gabby Sartori, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2026
  • In the younger woman’s presence, Rita finds that the ominous ticking clock in her mind goes silent.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of goes
Verb
  • If a model fails once by outputting a short summary, that text enters the immediate conversation history.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The film fails to convey the fearsome, inexplicable beauty that Herzog clearly sees (or perhaps once saw) in this story.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of fails

Browse Nearby Words

wilting
wilts
wily
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wilts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wilts. Accessed 6 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All