wilted
/ˈwɪltɪd/ (bre, ipa) · [wˈɪltɪd] /ˈwɪltɪd/ (ame, ipa) · [wˈɪltɪd] /wəlt, ˈwilt How to pronounce wilt (audio)/ (ame, mw)
wilted — adjective
- wiltedpositive
- more wiltedcomparative
- most wiltedsuperlative
1. used for leaves, flowers, or small plants that have gone soft and droopy after n
used for leaves, flowers, or small plants that have gone soft and droopy after not getting enough water.
The wilted roses on Quinn's desk needed water before lunch.
collocation: wilted roses
By evening, the basil looked wilted in the hot kitchen window.
look + wilted after heat
Adina threw away the wilted coriander from the back of the fridge.
After the bus ride home, Lotte's sunflowers were already wilted.
The once-bright leaves hung wilted after two days without rain.
文法句型
wilted + flower/leaf/plant
look/seem wilted
be wilted
用法筆記
Most often used for flowers, herbs, and leaves that have temporarily lost firmness. Unlike withered, wilted does not itself suggest the plant is beyond saving if it gets water soon.
常見錯誤
2. used for leafy vegetables that have been heated briefly until they turn soft but
used for leafy vegetables that have been heated briefly until they turn soft but still keep their shape.
The chef piled wilted spinach beside the grilled fish.
collocation: wilted spinach
Rin folded wilted lettuce into the warm noodle bowl.
cooking use: fold wilted leaves into a dish
The cafe served beans over wilted greens with garlic oil.
At brunch, Shirin ordered eggs over wilted kale on toast.
- softened
broader; softened can apply to any food, not specifically leaves
- lightly cooked
descriptive paraphrase rather than a fixed menu label
- blanched
more technical and often implies plunging into boiling water
文法句型
wilted + spinach/greens/lettuce
serve + wilted greens
eggs over + wilted greens
用法筆記
A food word, not a gardening one. It usually appears before vegetables such as spinach, kale, or mixed greens and means the leaves were softened quickly in heat, often right before serving.
常見錯誤
wilted — verb
- wiltedpresent simple I / you / we / they
- wilteds3rd person singular
- wilteding-ing form
- wiltededpast simple
1. used as the past tense or past participle of 'wilt' when a plant, person, or gro
used as the past tense or past participle of 'wilt' when a plant, person, or group became weak, soft, or suddenly less confident.
By late afternoon, the balcony herbs had wilted in their metal pots.
past participle: had wilted in the heat
Jason wilted when the coach announced the final team list.
figurative use: person wilted after bad news
The tulips wilted quickly after the kitchen window stayed shut all day.
Renata wilted as the interview panel kept interrupting her.
The crowd wilted in the stadium heat before halftime.
文法句型
plants wilted
wilted in the heat
wilted under pressure
用法筆記
As a verb form, wilted belongs to the base verb wilt. It is common for plants that lose water and also works figuratively when confidence, energy, or spirit drops under pressure.
常見錯誤
2. used as the past form of 'wilt' when heat, dryness, or pressure made a plant or
used as the past form of 'wilt' when heat, dryness, or pressure made a plant or person lose strength or confidence.
The noon sun wilted the basil on the windowsill.
transitive: heat wilted a plant
Steam wilted the spinach in less than a minute.
cooking use: steam wilted leafy greens
The dry wind wilted the young bean plants overnight.
Weeks of criticism wilted Lauren's confidence before the audition.
The long questioning wilted Michael's energy by the end.
- weakened
broader and less visual than wilted
- softened
works well for leaves in cooking, not for confidence
- discouraged
only fits the people/confidence side of this sense
- revived
brought a plant or person back to more life or energy
- strengthened
made something stronger instead of weaker
文法句型
sun/heat wilted + plant
steam wilted + greens
criticism wilted + confidence
用法筆記
This causative use names what produced the collapse: sun, steam, dry air, worry, or repeated pressure. It is less common than verb/1 but useful when the cause is the focus of the sentence.
常見錯誤
wilted — noun
1. the condition of being limp and drooping because moisture or freshness has been
the condition of being limp and drooping because moisture or freshness has been lost.
A quick soak in cold water removed the wilt from the parsley.
remove the wilt from + plant
By closing time, the florist could see a little wilt in the roses.
a little wilt in + flowers
The cook wanted just enough wilt to soften the spinach.
The picnic heat gave the lettuce a slight wilt before lunch.
- freshness
state of still being full of life and moisture
文法句型
a slight wilt
the wilt in + leaves
remove the wilt from + noun
用法筆記
Used mostly for flowers, herbs, and salad leaves. It names the condition itself, not the action, and often appears with small-degree words such as slight, little, or enough.
常見錯誤
2. a plant disease that makes stems and leaves lose firmness and hang down, often b
a plant disease that makes stems and leaves lose firmness and hang down, often because water can no longer move properly inside the plant.
The farmer pulled up the tomato plants after wilt spread across the field.
wilt spread across + field
Experts confirmed bacterial wilt in the cucumber house last week.
disease name: bacterial wilt
Wilt can stay in the soil and infect next year's peppers.
The greenhouse worker isolated the peppers at the first sign of wilt.
文法句型
bacterial wilt
wilt spread through + crop
signs of wilt
用法筆記
Usually appears in gardening or farming contexts and often forms disease names such as bacterial wilt or fusarium wilt. When used this way, it refers to infection or plant damage, not just a dry afternoon.