How to Use wilt in a Sentence

wilt

1 of 2 verb
  • The crowd wilted in the heat.
  • The hot weather wilted the plants.
  • He wilted under the pressure.
  • Lighter leaves will need less than a minute to wilt down.
    — Emily Siner, NPR, 27 June 2026
  • Once cut, oxalis will wilt and die.
    — Neil Sperry, San Antonio Express-News, 20 Feb. 2026
  • Avoid warm or hot water, which can wilt the leaves.
    — Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 7 Sep. 2025
  • Left that way long enough, the roots rot, the leaves wilt, and the plant dies.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 21 Apr. 2026
  • Leaves may wilt if the plant is too dry, too wet or exposed to a draft.
    — oregonlive, 18 Oct. 2021
  • Even a month ago, a goal like that might have caused the Sabres to wilt.
    — Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 1 Jan. 2026
  • Salt pulls moisture from the roots, grass blades wilt, then dry up and die.
    — Barbara Gillette, The Spruce, 13 Jan. 2026
  • Even so, his love of soccer has not wilted.
    — Theo Lloyd-Hughes, New York Times, 4 Mar. 2026
  • Vacherot blasted a serve and a forehand and did not wilt.
    — James Hansen, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
  • If the leaves are wilted, the plant may need water.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 9 Oct. 2025
  • The trick isn’t to burn them to a crisp but to use just enough heat so that the leaves wilt.
    — Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Apr. 2026
  • The spinach wilts with in a matter of moments in the hot broth.
    — Julie Giuffrida, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2023
  • But instead, some of them are still wilting.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 21 Apr. 2026
  • The Magic didn’t wilt, though, and took hold of the game.
    — Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 Apr. 2026
  • This causes the plant to wilt, turn yellow, and die.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 17 June 2026
  • When the blooms finally wilt, don’t throw away the bulbs.
    — Melinda Salchert, Southern Living, 27 Jan. 2026
  • The plant grows a big leaf each year which wilts and then becomes dormant.
    — Sophie Carson, Journal Sentinel, 14 July 2023
  • Hydrangeas wilt in summer heat from sun stress, not just thirst.
    — Mallory Carra, The Spruce, 14 June 2026
  • Many, many times, teams will wilt in those circumstances.
    — Steve Silverman, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Stir in the greens until wilted.
    — The Know, Denver Post, 24 Jan. 2026
  • The plants wilted, white mold formed in their crowns, and the planting was gone.
    — Neil Sperry, San Antonio Express-News, 6 Feb. 2026
  • Remove from the heat, and add the spinach and lemon zest, stirring well to wilt.
    — Sarah Copeland, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Dec. 2023
  • Dubois could have wilted early on when he was put down in the first and the third.
    — Chris McKenna, New York Times, 9 May 2026
  • The arugula gets added to the pan for a minute until just wilted.
    — Ann Maloney, Washington Post, 21 Mar. 2023
  • But playing at home at this time of year tends to wilt opponents.
    — Keven Lerner, sun-sentinel.com, 16 Sep. 2021
  • Stir in basil until wilted, about 1 minute.
    — Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 4 Jan. 2026
  • Add leaves to the skillet and stir gently as the leaves begin to wilt.
    — BostonGlobe.com, 9 Nov. 2021

wilt

2 of 2 noun
  • Too many wilts will turn those leaves brown.
    — Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Jan. 2026
  • This can cause stunted growth and leaf wilt.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 7 Aug. 2025
  • As a result, your mums wilt, their leaves turn crispy, and the buds don’t open.
    — Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Sep. 2025
  • The plant grows a big leaf each year which wilts and then becomes dormant.
    — Meg Jones, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 13 June 2018
  • Your leaves could be sun burned, or could have tomato blight or tomato wilt.
    — oregonlive, 21 Aug. 2021
  • Oak wilt was been around for decades and has been confirmed in 40 of the state’s counties.
    — From Usa Today Network and Wire Reports, USA TODAY, 8 July 2021
  • As one part of the industry wilts, another looks about to shoot up.
    — The Economist, 20 Jan. 2018
  • Not all cyclamen do it, but watch for any wilt and quickly water the plant at the base.
    — Calvin Finch, ExpressNews.com, 2 Jan. 2020
  • The leaves and stems wilt on the outside edges leaving the center green and healthy looking.
    — oregonlive, 12 June 2021
  • Laurel wilt wiped out half of trees Crane has worked for decades at the research center.
    — Joan Murray, CBS News, 19 Nov. 2025
  • Toss well to coat, and cook until the mustard green wilt, 30 seconds.
    — Joe Yonan, The Denver Post, 21 Aug. 2019
  • The sweltering heat dries out soil, wilts leaves and slows plants’ food production.
    — Adithi Ramakrishnan, Dallas News, 29 June 2023
  • Add sauce mixture and spinach to skillet and boil 2 minutes or until the spinach wilts.
    — Linda Gassenheimer, miamiherald, 6 Feb. 2018
  • Add the kale leaves and stir until the leaves brighten in color and wilt, about 2 minutes.
    — Lynda Balslev, Mercury News, 27 Jan. 2026
  • When cold weather returns, the leaves may develop brown leaf tips or turn yellow and wilt.
    — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Feb. 2026
  • Partially cut plants will sag and wilt, while small seedlings can be devoured entirely.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 14 Mar. 2026
  • Take hydrangeas, a happy flower millions of years old that grows well in soil but wilts quickly when cut.
    — Grace Edquist, Vogue, 15 Oct. 2025
  • Oak wilt is often found in oak trees and has been found in 56 Michigan counties.
    — Chandra Fleming, Detroit Free Press, 29 Oct. 2022
  • Their feeding can transmit wilt and mosaic viruses to your plants.
    — The Editors Of Organic Life, Good Housekeeping, 1 June 2017
  • After a strong first half, Portland State wilts at Boise State.
    — oregonlive, 15 Sep. 2019
  • Unlike plants getting too much water, the dry plants will recover from the slight wilt quickly.
    — Chris McKeown, The Enquirer, 14 May 2022
  • Often, migrants’ remains are not found on local ranches until the canopy of brush wilts in the fall.
    — Los Angeles Times, 27 July 2019
  • Rotating crops breaks the pest and disease cycle and reduces the spread of diseases such as blight and wilt.
    — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Apr. 2026
  • Fungicide applications can cure powdery mildew, leaf spot, and wilt.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 13 Apr. 2026
  • The impatiens necrotic spot virus and the disease Pythium wilt have both been around for years.
    — Los Angeles Times, 21 Dec. 2022
  • The most reliable signal that your potatoes are ready is when the vines begin to yellow, wilt, and fall over.
    — Rachel Silva, Martha Stewart, 20 Apr. 2026
  • Oak wilt and the emerald ash borer continue to spread farther across the state, leaving dead oak and ash in their wake.
    — Greg Stanley, Star Tribune, 26 June 2021
  • The tomato plant suddenly wilts and watering will not revive it.
    — Dan Gill, nola.com, 13 Apr. 2019
  • Choose plants that are resistant to bacterial wilt.
    — Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 7 Mar. 2026
  • This lotus flower Lego set makes for a beautiful floral display that won’t fade or wilt.
    — Brittany Vanderbill, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Nov. 2025

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wilt.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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