wilts

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
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
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
Verb
  • Community organizations spent decades cultivating wealthy baby boomer donors, and so that connection fades with each generation removed from the original donors.
    — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Its manganese spins continue fluctuating in preferred directions after long-range magnetic order fades.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Laundry dries outside of a home along the northern highway in Cuba.
    — Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The all-in-one dock cleans the spinning dual mops with hot water, dries them with warm air to prevent musty smells, and automatically drains and refills the water tank.
    — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 29 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The Middle East has been reordered A contentious election at the end of the month hangs over this year’s anniversary in Israel.
    — Melanie Lidman, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
  • His photograph is still on her business website, the two of them arm in arm, and a crystal locket etched with their faces hangs from her SUV’s rearview mirror.
    — Harry Bruinius, Christian Science Monitor, 6 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Narrowing the spread also weakens the incentive to steer patients toward costlier drugs and to acquire physician practices and infusion clinics — the very behaviors that have made care more expensive.
    — Casey B. Mulligan, STAT, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Research shows that people who share their goals publicly are less likely to achieve them, since talking about them creates a premature sense of accomplishment and weakens the drive to do the work.
    — Ben Meer, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026
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
Verb
  • If that goes well, perhaps more fans will be in the seats when Oklahoma State comes to town the following week.
    — Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Video first obtained by ABC News shows Coast Guard agents equipped in tactical gear boarding the ship, guns drawn, while a separate Coast Guard boat goes alongside of it.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Overrun with puzzling plot points, several cameos and a bloated supporting cast, the series fails to stick the landing.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 2 Oct. 2026
  • However, net job creation fails to account for the need to replace retiring workers, Sigelman says.
    — Itzel Franco, CNBC, 2 Oct. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wilts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wilts. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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