Word
wilted
Phoneticswilt·ed, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈwɪɫtɪd/
UK/wˈɪltɪd/
Definition
adj. soft and drooping because a plant has lost water or become too hot. You use it for flowers, leaves, or salad that are no longer fresh and firm.
adj. drooping or limp from loss of moisture, heat, or freshness, typically describing plants, leaves, or cut flowers. Extended to people to suggest tiredness or loss of energy.
Examples
“The wilted flowers need fresh water today.”
“She buys fresh spinach every morning because the wilted leaves from yesterday lose their taste.”
“By late August the garden holds only wilted stems, their colour faded by weeks of heat and neglect.”
Examples
simple
“The wilted flowers need fresh water today.”
contextual
“She buys fresh spinach every morning because the wilted leaves from yesterday lose their taste.”
complex
“By late August the garden holds only wilted stems, their colour faded by weeks of heat and neglect.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “wilted” in context.
Verb
01. find wilted
“I found the salad leaves wilted in the back of the fridge.”
verb + adj
02. leave wilted
“The fierce afternoon sun left the garden flowers wilted.”
verb + adj
03. look wilted
“The houseplants look wilted; they urgently need some water.”
verb + adj
04. wilted from heat
“The courtyard plants were wilted from the heat by midday.”
adj + prep + noun
Adjective
05. badly wilted
“The roses arrived badly wilted after two days in the hot van.”
adv + adj
06. completely wilted
“By evening, the seedlings were completely wilted from lack of water.”
adv + adj
07. slightly wilted
“The basil on the windowsill looks slightly wilted after the sunny afternoon.”
adv + adj
Noun
08. wilted flower
“She threw away the wilted flowers and bought fresh ones.”
adj + noun
09. a bunch of wilted flowers
“He left a bunch of wilted flowers on the balcony all week.”
10. a head of wilted lettuce
“She found a head of wilted lettuce at the back of the fridge.”
11. look a little wilted
“Your seedlings look a little wilted — give them some water.”
12. revive wilted flowers in water
“You can often revive wilted flowers in cold water overnight.”
Usage
Typically placed before the noun it modifies; also follows linking verbs such as 'look' or 'feel'.
Real-World Examples
“In fact, throwing out lunchtime leftovers or wilted lettuce only adds to the mountain of discarded food decomposing in landfills that releases methane, a powerful greenhouse gas.” “Wales wilted in Copenhagen as a 2-0 defeat to Denmark left them bottom of their Nations League group with no points or goals from their first two games.” “Banana plants were showing wilted yellow leaves and wanted to send him samples.” “Instead Tuchel’s players wilted, conceding twice after he had attempted to batten down the hatches with a series of defensive substitutions.” Etymology
From wilt + -ed.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/wilted