Wilt is a word with two main uses. It can describe a plant becoming limp or droopingbending downward and hanging loosely because of weakness or lack of water, and it can also mean losing strengththe power or ability to do work, resist strain, or remain firm or energy. As a noun, it can refer to a plant disease that causes drooping and shrivelingbecoming wrinkled, smaller, and dry from loss of moisture.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-31. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /wɪlt/
Easy pronunciation: WILT (approximate spelling).
Stress: One syllable, so the whole word is stressed.
Verb meaning to become limp, droop, or sag.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-31. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Wilt Meaning
to sag, lose firmness, or hang down because of lack of water, heat, or age
Part of speech: verb
Definition: become limp or droop
Example: The flowers wilted in the afternoon sun.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- droop — A close substitute when something hangs down or loses firmness.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-31. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Wilt
Meaning 2
to become weaker, less energetic, or less confident
Part of speech: verb
Definition: lose strength
Example: By the final set, my opponent was wilting.
Meaning 3
a disease in plants that makes them droop and shrink
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a plant disease characterized by drooping and shriveling, usually caused by parasites attacking the roots
Example: The crop was affected by wilt.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- wilt disease — A direct term for the disease sense.
Meaning 4
something that makes plants or flowers sag and droop
Part of speech: noun
Definition: causing to become limp or drooping
Example: This kind of heat can cause wilting.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- wilting — Matches the noun sense referring to the process or condition of drooping.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-31. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Wilt Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- droop
plant disease causing drooping and shriveling
- wilt disease
causing limpness or drooping
- wilting
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-31. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Using wilt for every kind of weakness. The verb 'wilt' can mean losing energy, but it is not the same as physically collapsing.
- Mixing the plant verb with the plant disease noun. They are related, but not the same sense.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-31. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does wilt mean?
Wilt can mean to become limp or droopy, especially for plants. It can also mean to lose strength or energy. As a noun, it can refer to a plant disease that causes drooping and shriveling.
What is a synonym for wilt?
For the plant sense, a close synonym is droop. For the disease sense, wilt disease is the matching term. For the weakness sense, there isn’t a strong direct synonym in the supplied data.
Is wilt only used for plants?
No. It is often used for plants, but it can also describe a person or opponent losing energy or strength.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-31. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
