<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<!--XBRL Document Created with the Workiva Platform-->
<!--Copyright 2026 Workiva-->
<!--r:01a14a6b-c6e2-7b6d-b3c2-8441af6d38e4,g:60503f43-7687-4415-9f60-035d468d548d-->
<link:linkbase xmlns:link="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/linkbase" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:xbrldt="http://xbrl.org/2005/xbrldt" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/linkbase http://www.xbrl.org/2003/xbrl-linkbase-2003-12-31.xsd">
  <link:arcroleRef arcroleURI="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/all" xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="http://www.xbrl.org/2005/xbrldt-2005.xsd#all"/>
  <link:arcroleRef arcroleURI="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/hypercube-dimension" xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="http://www.xbrl.org/2005/xbrldt-2005.xsd#hypercube-dimension"/>
  <link:arcroleRef arcroleURI="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/dimension-default" xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="http://www.xbrl.org/2005/xbrldt-2005.xsd#dimension-default"/>
  <link:arcroleRef arcroleURI="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/dimension-domain" xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="http://www.xbrl.org/2005/xbrldt-2005.xsd#dimension-domain"/>
  <link:arcroleRef arcroleURI="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="http://www.xbrl.org/2005/xbrldt-2005.xsd#domain-member"/>
  <link:roleRef roleURI="http://www.whlr.us/role/Cover" xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="whlr-20261021.xsd#Cover"/>
  <link:definitionLink xlink:role="http://www.whlr.us/role/Cover" xlink:type="extended">
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_01a14a6b-c6e2-714e-9b94-37fcc8cfa686" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_DocumentInformationLineItems"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_DocumentInformationTable_01a14a6b-c6e2-7912-ab08-5e68eb110177" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_DocumentInformationTable"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/all" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_01a14a6b-c6e2-714e-9b94-37fcc8cfa686" xlink:to="loc_dei_DocumentInformationTable_01a14a6b-c6e2-7912-ab08-5e68eb110177" xlink:type="arc" order="1" xbrldt:closed="true" xbrldt:contextElement="segment"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis_01a14a6b-c6e2-7682-aa3c-5b583abca309" xlink:href="https://xbrl.fasb.org/us-gaap/2026/elts/us-gaap-2026.xsd#us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/hypercube-dimension" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationTable_01a14a6b-c6e2-7912-ab08-5e68eb110177" xlink:to="loc_us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis_01a14a6b-c6e2-7682-aa3c-5b583abca309" xlink:type="arc" order="1"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain_01a14a6b-c6e2-7682-aa3c-5b583abca309_default" xlink:href="https://xbrl.fasb.org/us-gaap/2026/elts/us-gaap-2026.xsd#us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/dimension-default" xlink:from="loc_us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis_01a14a6b-c6e2-7682-aa3c-5b583abca309" xlink:to="loc_us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain_01a14a6b-c6e2-7682-aa3c-5b583abca309_default" xlink:type="arc" order="1"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain_01a14a6b-c6e2-7b81-82ac-422e186d859d" xlink:href="https://xbrl.fasb.org/us-gaap/2026/elts/us-gaap-2026.xsd#us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/dimension-domain" xlink:from="loc_us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis_01a14a6b-c6e2-7682-aa3c-5b583abca309" xlink:to="loc_us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain_01a14a6b-c6e2-7b81-82ac-422e186d859d" xlink:type="arc" order="1"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_us-gaap_CommonStockMember_01a14a6b-c6e2-7e27-9923-90772fdd8ec8" xlink:href="https://xbrl.fasb.org/us-gaap/2026/elts/us-gaap-2026.xsd#us-gaap_CommonStockMember"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain_01a14a6b-c6e2-7b81-82ac-422e186d859d" xlink:to="loc_us-gaap_CommonStockMember_01a14a6b-c6e2-7e27-9923-90772fdd8ec8" xlink:type="arc" order="0"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_us-gaap_SeriesBPreferredStockMember_01a14a6b-c6e2-7f56-a9f2-040cf13172db" xlink:href="https://xbrl.fasb.org/us-gaap/2026/elts/us-gaap-2026.xsd#us-gaap_SeriesBPreferredStockMember"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain_01a14a6b-c6e2-7b81-82ac-422e186d859d" xlink:to="loc_us-gaap_SeriesBPreferredStockMember_01a14a6b-c6e2-7f56-a9f2-040cf13172db" xlink:type="arc" order="1"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_us-gaap_SeriesDPreferredStockMember_01a14a6b-c6e2-7e8e-9243-388d23741540" xlink:href="https://xbrl.fasb.org/us-gaap/2026/elts/us-gaap-2026.xsd#us-gaap_SeriesDPreferredStockMember"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain_01a14a6b-c6e2-7b81-82ac-422e186d859d" xlink:to="loc_us-gaap_SeriesDPreferredStockMember_01a14a6b-c6e2-7e8e-9243-388d23741540" xlink:type="arc" order="2"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_us-gaap_ConvertibleSubordinatedDebtMember_01a14a6b-c6e2-7486-b754-e8d8c9b65e5d" xlink:href="https://xbrl.fasb.org/us-gaap/2026/elts/us-gaap-2026.xsd#us-gaap_ConvertibleSubordinatedDebtMember"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain_01a14a6b-c6e2-7b81-82ac-422e186d859d" xlink:to="loc_us-gaap_ConvertibleSubordinatedDebtMember_01a14a6b-c6e2-7486-b754-e8d8c9b65e5d" xlink:type="arc" order="3"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_DocumentType_01a14a6b-c6e2-72c6-ba77-d624e8be6189" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_DocumentType"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_01a14a6b-c6e2-714e-9b94-37fcc8cfa686" xlink:to="loc_dei_DocumentType_01a14a6b-c6e2-72c6-ba77-d624e8be6189" xlink:type="arc" order="0"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate_01a14a6b-c6e2-777a-9556-f37dd982c7bf" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_01a14a6b-c6e2-714e-9b94-37fcc8cfa686" xlink:to="loc_dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate_01a14a6b-c6e2-777a-9556-f37dd982c7bf" xlink:type="arc" order="1"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityRegistrantName_01a14a6b-c6e2-78dd-8f8f-9337ac123f17" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityRegistrantName"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_01a14a6b-c6e2-714e-9b94-37fcc8cfa686" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityRegistrantName_01a14a6b-c6e2-78dd-8f8f-9337ac123f17" xlink:type="arc" order="2"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode_01a14a6b-c6e2-7cba-b076-dd363c5b1e1a" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_01a14a6b-c6e2-714e-9b94-37fcc8cfa686" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode_01a14a6b-c6e2-7cba-b076-dd363c5b1e1a" xlink:type="arc" order="3"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityFileNumber_01a14a6b-c6e2-7215-a68e-9b2e69182e80" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityFileNumber"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_01a14a6b-c6e2-714e-9b94-37fcc8cfa686" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityFileNumber_01a14a6b-c6e2-7215-a68e-9b2e69182e80" xlink:type="arc" order="4"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityTaxIdentificationNumber_01a14a6b-c6e2-767c-b628-9c409ee2a43c" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityTaxIdentificationNumber"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_01a14a6b-c6e2-714e-9b94-37fcc8cfa686" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityTaxIdentificationNumber_01a14a6b-c6e2-767c-b628-9c409ee2a43c" xlink:type="arc" order="5"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityAddressAddressLine1_01a14a6b-c6e2-78c5-9df3-316cdcff0d84" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityAddressAddressLine1"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_01a14a6b-c6e2-714e-9b94-37fcc8cfa686" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityAddressAddressLine1_01a14a6b-c6e2-78c5-9df3-316cdcff0d84" xlink:type="arc" order="6"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityAddressCityOrTown_01a14a6b-c6e2-7769-9905-325bac564ab7" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityAddressCityOrTown"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_01a14a6b-c6e2-714e-9b94-37fcc8cfa686" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityAddressCityOrTown_01a14a6b-c6e2-7769-9905-325bac564ab7" xlink:type="arc" order="7"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityAddressStateOrProvince_01a14a6b-c6e2-7a16-862a-275f1ccb2782" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityAddressStateOrProvince"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_01a14a6b-c6e2-714e-9b94-37fcc8cfa686" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityAddressStateOrProvince_01a14a6b-c6e2-7a16-862a-275f1ccb2782" xlink:type="arc" order="8"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityAddressPostalZipCode_01a14a6b-c6e2-7720-8eef-33ab041f6125" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityAddressPostalZipCode"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_01a14a6b-c6e2-714e-9b94-37fcc8cfa686" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityAddressPostalZipCode_01a14a6b-c6e2-7720-8eef-33ab041f6125" xlink:type="arc" order="9"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_CityAreaCode_01a14a6b-c6e2-789b-93ab-16e946843a4e" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_CityAreaCode"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_01a14a6b-c6e2-714e-9b94-37fcc8cfa686" xlink:to="loc_dei_CityAreaCode_01a14a6b-c6e2-789b-93ab-16e946843a4e" xlink:type="arc" order="10"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_LocalPhoneNumber_01a14a6b-c6e2-7fc7-8259-c9c97d049a36" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_LocalPhoneNumber"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_01a14a6b-c6e2-714e-9b94-37fcc8cfa686" xlink:to="loc_dei_LocalPhoneNumber_01a14a6b-c6e2-7fc7-8259-c9c97d049a36" xlink:type="arc" order="11"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_WrittenCommunications_01a14a6b-c6e2-7a2e-b2e2-3698bfcc1d05" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_WrittenCommunications"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_01a14a6b-c6e2-714e-9b94-37fcc8cfa686" xlink:to="loc_dei_WrittenCommunications_01a14a6b-c6e2-7a2e-b2e2-3698bfcc1d05" xlink:type="arc" order="12"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_SolicitingMaterial_01a14a6b-c6e2-70ed-9402-a88e897d0ccc" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_SolicitingMaterial"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_01a14a6b-c6e2-714e-9b94-37fcc8cfa686" xlink:to="loc_dei_SolicitingMaterial_01a14a6b-c6e2-70ed-9402-a88e897d0ccc" xlink:type="arc" order="13"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_PreCommencementTenderOffer_01a14a6b-c6e2-75f1-9d0e-3fad83109db2" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_PreCommencementTenderOffer"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_01a14a6b-c6e2-714e-9b94-37fcc8cfa686" xlink:to="loc_dei_PreCommencementTenderOffer_01a14a6b-c6e2-75f1-9d0e-3fad83109db2" xlink:type="arc" order="14"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer_01a14a6b-c6e2-76c9-b249-d563c1eb6a5c" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_01a14a6b-c6e2-714e-9b94-37fcc8cfa686" xlink:to="loc_dei_PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer_01a14a6b-c6e2-76c9-b249-d563c1eb6a5c" xlink:type="arc" order="15"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityEmergingGrowthCompany_01a14a6b-c6e2-7ac5-b8b0-05b0c74501f8" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityEmergingGrowthCompany"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_01a14a6b-c6e2-714e-9b94-37fcc8cfa686" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityEmergingGrowthCompany_01a14a6b-c6e2-7ac5-b8b0-05b0c74501f8" xlink:type="arc" order="16"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_Security12bTitle_01a14a6b-c6e2-738b-b988-2f3a7d4187ad" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_Security12bTitle"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_01a14a6b-c6e2-714e-9b94-37fcc8cfa686" xlink:to="loc_dei_Security12bTitle_01a14a6b-c6e2-738b-b988-2f3a7d4187ad" xlink:type="arc" order="17"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_TradingSymbol_01a14a6b-c6e2-79e0-b482-9bd004b9b37f" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_TradingSymbol"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_01a14a6b-c6e2-714e-9b94-37fcc8cfa686" xlink:to="loc_dei_TradingSymbol_01a14a6b-c6e2-79e0-b482-9bd004b9b37f" xlink:type="arc" order="18"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_SecurityExchangeName_01a14a6b-c6e2-70da-8926-e4bb6d6f5299" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_SecurityExchangeName"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_01a14a6b-c6e2-714e-9b94-37fcc8cfa686" xlink:to="loc_dei_SecurityExchangeName_01a14a6b-c6e2-70da-8926-e4bb6d6f5299" xlink:type="arc" order="19"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityCentralIndexKey_01a14a6b-c6e2-7f68-b4b0-da33606856bc" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityCentralIndexKey"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_01a14a6b-c6e2-714e-9b94-37fcc8cfa686" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityCentralIndexKey_01a14a6b-c6e2-7f68-b4b0-da33606856bc" xlink:type="arc" order="20"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_AmendmentFlag_01a14a6b-c6e2-7a2a-94c6-5d29b75cddbf" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_AmendmentFlag"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_01a14a6b-c6e2-714e-9b94-37fcc8cfa686" xlink:to="loc_dei_AmendmentFlag_01a14a6b-c6e2-7a2a-94c6-5d29b75cddbf" xlink:type="arc" order="21"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_CurrentFiscalYearEndDate_01a14a6b-c6e2-773f-a14b-ae7a1f48c239" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_CurrentFiscalYearEndDate"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_01a14a6b-c6e2-714e-9b94-37fcc8cfa686" xlink:to="loc_dei_CurrentFiscalYearEndDate_01a14a6b-c6e2-773f-a14b-ae7a1f48c239" xlink:type="arc" order="22"/>
  </link:definitionLink>
</link:linkbase>
