verb Uncommon

wilt

wihlt

Wilt (verb) means to droop and lose freshness, as a plant does when it lacks water. Example: “The flowers wilted in the afternoon heat.”

verb

To droop and lose freshness, as a plant does when it lacks water.

"The flowers wilted in the afternoon heat."

"Without rain for weeks, the crops began to wilt."

To lose energy, strength, or confidence.

"The team wilted under pressure in the final minutes."

"He wilted after hours of relentless questioning."

How to use wilt

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo droop or weaken — used for plants losing freshness or people losing energy and resolve.

Common pairings

wilt in the heat wilt under pressure begin to wilt

Word forms

wilted past tense, wilts plural, Wilts plural, wilts singular

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The flowers _____ in the afternoon heat.

Etymology

Recorded from the late 1600s, likely an altered form of the older word welk ("to wither"), from Middle Dutch or Low German roots meaning "to become soft".

Origin: German · First attested 1600

Class of 1600 wilt joined the language around 1600.

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Rhymes for wilt

hilt gilt milt silt kilt tilt spilt

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Frequently asked questions

What does “wilt” mean?

The word “wilt” means to droop and lose freshness, as a plant does when it lacks water. In plain terms, to droop or weaken — used for plants losing freshness or people losing energy and resolve.

How do you pronounce “wilt”?

“Wilt” is pronounced wihlt (/wɪlt/ in IPA).

How do you use “wilt” in a sentence?

Here is “wilt” used in a sentence: “The flowers wilted in the afternoon heat.”

What part of speech is “wilt”?

“Wilt” is a verb.

Where does the word “wilt” come from?

The word “wilt” dates back to around 1600 and comes from German. Recorded from the late 1600s, likely an altered form of the older word welk ("to wither"), from Middle Dutch or Low German roots meaning "to become soft".

Is “wilt” a common word?

“Wilt” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “wilt” have?

“Wilt” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to droop and lose freshness, as a plant does when it lacks water.