wilted

UK: /ˈwɪltɪd/

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

wilt¹ /wɪlt/   v. 

1. Plant Diseases to (cause to) become limp and drooping, as a flower: [no object]
   The plants began to wilt in the hot weather.
   [~ + object]
   The hot weather will wilt the plants.
2. to lose strength, vigor, or courage:
   [no object] Under pressure he would wilt and give up.

wilt² /wɪlt/   v. [Archaic.]

1. second pers. sing. pres. indic. of will¹.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

wilt¹  (wilt), v.i. 

1. to become limp and drooping, as a fading flower;
   wither.
2. to lose strength, vigor, assurance, etc.:
   to wilt after a day's hard work.

v.t. 

3. to cause to wilt.

n. 

4. the act of wilting, or the state of being wilted:
   a sudden wilt of interest in the discussion.
5. Plant Diseases
   • the drying out, drooping, and withering of the leaves of a plant due to inadequate water supply, excessive transpiration, or vascular disease.
   • a disease so characterized, as fusarium wilt.
6. Insects a virus disease of various caterpillars, characterized by the liquefaction of body tissues.

Also, wilt′ disease′ (for defs. 5b, 6).

• Middle Dutch welken; compare German welk withered
• dialect, dialectal variant of wilk to wither, itself variant of welk, Middle English welken, probably 1685–95

Synonyms

• 2. wane, droop; ebb, weaken.

wilt²  (wilt), v. [Archaic.]

1. second pers. sing. pres. ind. of will ¹.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

wilt / wɪlt/ verb

1. to become or cause to become limp, flaccid, or drooping: insufficient water makes plants wilt
2. to lose or cause to lose courage, strength, etc
3. (transitive) to cook (a leafy vegetable) very briefly until it begins to collapse

noun

1. the act of wilting or state of becoming wilted
2. any of various plant diseases characterized by permanent wilting, usually caused by fungal parasites attacking the roots

Etymology: 17th Century: perhaps variant of wilk to wither, from Middle Dutch welken

wilt / wɪlt/ verb

1. 
   used with the pronoun thou or its relative equivalent:
   a singular form of the present tense (indicative mood) of will1