as in to fade
to lose bodily strength or vigor
older people, especially, were languishing during the prolonged heat wave
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Recent Examples of languish
The sector diverged in 2024, with companies such as Palantir surging to new highs as others languished.
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Samantha Subin, CNBC, 27 Dec. 2024
Consequently, the Sixers have languished on the court, opening 3-13.
Karl-Anthony Towns, who has a $49.2 million contract for this season alone, has already missed a game with a knee injury and is recently managing a left calf contusion.
—Barry M. Bloom, Sportico.com, 28 Nov. 2024
In November, the shares were languishing at a low for the year at around €82, a 45% drop from a high in April of €151.
—Neil Winton, Forbes, 29 Dec. 2024
Amid the cacophony of activity, a quiet family of three from Ecuador has languished there since March, inside a spartan cubicle.
—Luis Ferré-Sadurní, New York Times, 23 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for languish 
Samantha Subin, CNBC, 27 Dec. 2024
Consequently, the Sixers have languished on the court, opening 3-13.
Karl-Anthony Towns, who has a $49.2 million contract for this season alone, has already missed a game with a knee injury and is recently managing a left calf contusion.
—Barry M. Bloom, Sportico.com, 28 Nov. 2024
In November, the shares were languishing at a low for the year at around €82, a 45% drop from a high in April of €151.
—Neil Winton, Forbes, 29 Dec. 2024
Amid the cacophony of activity, a quiet family of three from Ecuador has languished there since March, inside a spartan cubicle.
—Luis Ferré-Sadurní, New York Times, 23 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for languish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for languish
Verb
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Indeed, the very concept seems to have faded from public discourse and concern.Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2025
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Dermatologists recommend at-home microdermabrasion for helping to fade acne scars and stretch marks, too.Cecily McAndrews, Health, 5 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Elon Musk, one of Trump’s confidants, has already met with Iran’s UN ambassador; now that Israel has weakened Tehran and pummeled its proxies in the Middle East, a diplomatic breakthrough may be achievable.Charles A. Kupchan, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2025
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The widening yield differentials between Chinese and U.S. sovereign bonds could risk encouraging capital outflows and put further pressure on the yuan that has been weakening against the greenback.Anniek Bao, CNBC, 10 Jan. 2025
Verb
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But there’s also no shame going with the sidekick, who proved his mettle after 10 games out by not missing a single defensive beat.Dom Luszczyszyn, The Athletic, 7 Jan. 2025
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Single packages went for $25 and up and some sellers were bundling 20 packages for more than $450.Erin Clements, People.com, 7 Jan. 2025
Verb
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On the other hand: The Chargers’ defense sagged against Baltimore and Tampa Bay in the second half of the year.Jordan Brenner, The Athletic, 10 Jan. 2025
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But the skin can undergo changes in midlife too, including sagging, thinning and becoming more dry.Erica Sweeney, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Austria: Coalition talks between three mainstream parties failed, giving the far-right Freedom of Austria Party a realistic chance of leading the next government.Natasha Frost, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2025
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The organization proposed wage increases last September but failed to reach an agreement with the resort company, leading to a work stoppage during the busy ski season, according to the Times.Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 6 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Downdrafts are small columns of air sinking rapidly toward the ground, often the precursor to more damaging wind events.Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 7 Jan. 2025
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Over time, the volcanic mountain began eroding and sinking, but the barrier reef and lagoon kept growing.Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The world’s largest automaker had faced withering attacks for being slow to add all-electric vehicles to its lineup, focusing more on hybrids as a transitional technology.IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 6 Jan. 2025
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No one apart from the ultras, daubing new withering slogans on bed sheets to be carried into San Siro for the next league game against Cagliari.James Horncastle, The Athletic, 6 Jan. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Languish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/languish. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.
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