# wilted

/ˈwɪɫtɪd/ (US) · /wˈɪltɪd/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/wilted
Updated: 2026-10-19

## Definition

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.

For teachers: 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.

## Synonyms

drooping, withered, limp, droopy

## Antonyms

fresh, crisp, firm

## Usage notes

- Typically placed before the noun it modifies; also follows linking verbs such as 'look' or 'feel'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.