languish

verb

lan·​guish ˈlaŋ-gwish 

languished; languishing; languishes

intransitive verb

1

a

: to be or become feeble, weak, or enervated

Plants languish in the drought.

b

: to be or live in a state of depression or decreasing vitality

languished in prison for ten years

2

a

: to become dispirited

b

: to suffer neglect

the bill languished in the Senate for eight months

3

: to assume an expression of grief or emotion appealing for sympathy

languished at him through screwed-up eyes

—Edith Wharton

languisher noun

languishingly

ˈlaŋ-gwi-shiŋ-lē 

adverb

languishment

ˈlaŋ-gwish-mənt 

noun

Synonyms

• decay
• droop
• emaciate
• fade
• fail
• flag
• go
• lag
• sag
• sink
• waste (away)
• weaken
• wilt
• wither

Examples of languish in a Sentence

older people, especially, were languishing during the prolonged heat wave

Recent Examples on the Web

The state’s biggest lake, nearly twice the size of the majestic and immensely popular Lake Tahoe, has languished for decades as increased salinity, a sinking waterline and a foul smell have robbed it of past glory. —Jorge L. Ortiz, USA Today, 30 Mar. 2025

Crypto-friendly stablecoin legislation is poised to pass the Senate after years of the industry’s Capitol Hill agenda languishing. —Bloomberg, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2025

He’s seen Aurora, a former manufacturing hub, spend years trying to stage a comeback after languishing for many years in economic stagnation. —The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 19 Mar. 2025

Breguet Tradition Breguet, once the originator of some watchmaking’s greatest innovations, is often considered to be languishing within the Swatch Group. —Clem Chambers, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French languiss-, stem of languir, from Vulgar Latin *languire, from Latin languēre

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for languish

• anguish

Kids Definition

languish

verb

lan·​guish ˈlaŋ-gwish 

1

: to become weak or languid : waste away

languish in prison

2

: to suffer neglect

a bill languishing in the Senate

languishment

-mənt 

noun