languish

Definition of languishnext
as in to fade
to lose bodily strength or vigor older people, especially, were languishing during the prolonged heat wave

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of languish The mine languished for a decade, until a new company, Molycorp, tried, unsuccessfully, to compete with China and revive the business. Jon Wertheim, CBS News, 22 Mar. 2026 And a Picasso masterpiece is languishing in a basement in Tehran. Angela Cullen, Bloomberg, 20 Mar. 2026 The legislation was approved after the murder case languished for several years without a trial. ABC News, 19 Mar. 2026 No such luck with Imperfect Women, which languishes in the same genre space but is perfectly obvious in comparison, a series that solves its mystery halfway through the season but still keeps going. Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for languish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for languish
Verb
  • Scout seems insightful, based on its response to a question posed by The Associated Press about why one of Silicon Valley's brightest stars faded away a decade ago.
    ABC News, ABC News, 27 Mar. 2026
  • This year's Oscars may be in the rearview mirror, but for one Detroit designer, the spotlight hasn't faded.
    Lauren Winfrey, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • But the president contends there is no excuse for the lack of participation now that Iran's navy has been sunk and its air defenses severely weakened.
    Michael Loria, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026
  • In the state’s view, that weakens or muddies the legal boundary between the two types of gambling venues.
    Amanda Greenwood, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Could a straighter road make cars go faster?
    Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 30 Mar. 2026
  • To meet his growing costs, Meraj had increased the price of a cup of tea from ten rupees to fifteen, a fifty-per-cent rise (in New York terms, like a cup of drip coffee going from just shy of four dollars to nearly six overnight).
    Nathan Heller, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • James Madison used a sagging zone defense in the paint or a double-team on Strack in an attempt to slow down the Wildcats, but that left Strack’s teammates open for easy shots.
    ABC News, ABC News, 21 Mar. 2026
  • Release, for contouring and pressure relief; and Adaptive, to keep the bed from sagging.
    Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 19 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The lawsuit alleged that Bank of America failed to file suspicious activity reports, known as SARs, until after Epstein's death in 2019.
    CBS News, CBS News, 28 Mar. 2026
  • During the next two and a half years, Beckham and various investors tried, and failed, to land a stadium deal.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 28 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Then 6-foot-11 Ruben Prey sank his fourth 3-pointer in four attempts, and suddenly the Red Storm were up 53-44.
    CBS News, CBS News, 28 Mar. 2026
  • Bitter divisions among House and Senate Republicans, however, ultimately sank the Senate's attempt to bring the impasse to an end.
    Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Then the strength of their team withered and left them still seeking their first victory under new manager Craig Stammen.
    Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Mar. 2026
  • But as the airline increasingly relied on land planes, its ties to Dinner Key withered.
    Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Languish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/languish. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on languish

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster