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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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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
  • Biologically, a plant starts to prepare for seed production once a flower fades.
    — Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 15 Sep. 2026
  • The background star gradually brightens and then fades as the two stars move out of alignment.
    — Thomas Fauchez, The Conversation, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of fades
Verb
  • Bergamot nectar and neroli add a hint of crispness, while white musk and soft woods linger on the skin as the fragrance dries down.
    — Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The $80 jeans are built to withstand how the average male consumer wears, washes and dries his jeans.
    — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of dries
Verb
  • The idea hangs between us for a beat longer than is comfortable.
    — Allison P. Davis, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The play also draws inspiration from the photograph of Rusnak’s lynching which includes onlookers, including a young white girl, as his body hangs from a tree.
    — Raisa Habersham, Miami Herald, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of hangs
Verb
  • Chronic diseases become more common, and resistance to infection weakens.
    — Venki Ramakrishnan, Scientific American, 15 Sep. 2026
  • When one of those systems weakens, there is a knock-on effect that ripples into the workplace – and not always in a good way.
    — Stacey Zolt Hara, Fortune, 14 Sep. 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
  • Evans running back Daveon Williams goes 5 yards for the score and the Trojans extend the lead to 38-7 after the two point conversion fails.
    — Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Sep. 2026
  • The reason why so many hotels, cruise lines and tour operators still base prices on double occupancy is that their costs – the room, the berth, the coach seat, the guide – don’t fall by half when the second person fails to materialize.
    — Peter McGraw, The Conversation, 10 Sep. 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 18 Sep. 2026.

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