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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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

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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
  • One edge of the sculpture droops over the walkway’s railing onto the awning of the Standard Hotel’s Soda Shop below, and its curling arches brush up against the underbelly of a bridge above.
    — New York Times, New York Times, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of droops
Verb
  • Together, these mechanisms paint a richer picture of why Orion's giant star fades and brightens.
    — Joe Rao, Space.com, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Antonioni’s great innovation was that the story line fades away, along with conventional expectations about action, time, and dramatic resolution.
    — Joshua Yaffa, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of fades
Verb
  • The fragrance opens with a burst of red currant and juicy lychee before settling into soft rose petals as the scent dries down.
    — Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Once the floor dries, there may be little indication that water had been there at all.
    — Emma Clapp, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of dries
Verb
  • For a while, the music hangs there, pieces echoing each other with increasing intensity.
    — Vanessa Ague, Pitchfork, 29 Oct. 2026
  • The space also displays visual art from the local arts community, including a 24-foot dragon sculpture that hangs from the ceiling.
    — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of hangs
Verb
  • This molten salt weakens the coating on the silicon panel, allowing the silver wires to peel off intact as pure metal.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Don’t optimize today’s economics in a way that weakens tomorrow’s leadership pipeline.
    — Tim Brackney, Forbes.com, 26 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
  • According to Tarantino, however, the reference goes way deeper.
    — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Bel glows with a kind of rude Californian health and goes once a week for chiropractic adjustments, including of her jaw.
    — Alessandra Codinha, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of goes
Verb
  • If the more collaborative approach falters and a water agency fails to meet commitments, regulators still have the option of putting it back under the traditional regulations.
    — Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026
  • If the effort fails, the president can give another candidate an opportunity to form a government.
    — Itay Stern, NPR, 30 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 6 Nov. 2026.

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