languish
verb
lan·guish
ˈlaŋ-gwish 
languished; languishing; languishes
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
Edith WhartonExamples of languish in a Sentence
older people, especially, were languishing during the prolonged heat wave
Recent Examples on the Web
Health Care is bouncing from near all-time lows though remains under pressure due to worries about regulatory change, while Consumer Staple is still languishing with a huge negative spread.
—Randy Watts, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Add a Showstopper If the focal point of your container garden languishes at the end of summer, replace it with a fresh, eye-catching plant.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Sep. 2025
The cool nights and crisp clear days of fall rejuvenate flowering annuals and perennials that may have languished in the heat of summer.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 8 Sep. 2025
In June, Yoderlyn Daviana Acosta Peña, after languishing in the Laredo immigration jail for almost three more months, was finally deported to Venezuela.
—Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
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Randy Watts, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Add a Showstopper If the focal point of your container garden languishes at the end of summer, replace it with a fresh, eye-catching plant.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Sep. 2025
The cool nights and crisp clear days of fall rejuvenate flowering annuals and perennials that may have languished in the heat of summer.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 8 Sep. 2025
In June, Yoderlyn Daviana Acosta Peña, after languishing in the Laredo immigration jail for almost three more months, was finally deported to Venezuela.
—Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for languish
Cite this Entry
“Languish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/languish. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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