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to wilt

to wilt

11 3.7
To become weak and lose confidence because of heat, hard work, or pressure
  • verb
  • /wɪlt/
translation icon : decaer
  • Label says try not to wilt in the sun.
  • wilt under pressure
  • start to wilt
  • begin to wilt

Five years ago, I would have wilted like spinach in a boiling pan with these pauses.

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Examples

  • The younger Lasky looks like he's starting to wilt... under the pressure from the Bulldog of North Bergen.

  • Charlotte, already wilting in the day's soggy heat, nodded at this.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • Did you start to wilt?

  • But instead of wilting, I found a way to fight through it.

  • And so it was one of those times, like, most people had always wilted under pressure.

  • And under the harsh glare of scrutiny, words that seemed strong can suddenly seem to wilt.

    Academic text (2009)
  • Braddock looks like he's finally starting to wilt.

  • "Some of the kids are starting to wilt," Margaret Thatcher repeated, this time addressing Tom and Jackson.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • Inwardly, Isabelle wilted again, though she thought she kept her expression calm.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • The athlete began to wilt in the intense heat of the midday sun.

Antonyms

65 3.7

To make someone feel more active and alert

26 5.5

To give more energy and make someone or something feel lively

Compounds

Fusarium wilt
  • Specialized
1 7.4

A plant disease that makes leaves wilt and turn yellow, caused by a fungus called Fusarium

Granville wilt
  • Specialized
9.9

A bacterial disease that makes tobacco plants wilt and often die

tobacco wilt
  • Specialized
8.3

A disease caused by bacteria that makes tobacco, tomato, and potato leaves wilt and turn yellow

wilt disease
  • Specialized
5.6

A plant disease that makes leaves and stems droop and dry up

How Weakened

collapse
350 4.1
to give up
1.2
to wilt
11 3.7
to flag
1 5.1

Surface Forms

wilt infinitive
wilted past
wilted past participle
wilting present participle
wilts third person singular

Etymology

Wilt comes from the image of a plant drying and losing power, so by extension it also means 'to lose strength' or feel weak; that's why people can wilt from heat, tiredness, or pressure.