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

• fade
• weaken
• go
• sag
• fail
• sink
• wither

Examples of languish in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web

The movie premiered at Sundance in 2020 to buzzy acclaim — only to languish in pandemic limbo for 18 months. —Seija Rankin, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2025

But the case languished for decades until Miller got her hands on it. —Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 21 Oct. 2025

Most Americans support these common-sense reforms that languish in Congress. —Scott Peters, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Oct. 2025

The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has languished for months as peace talks continue to see little progress and an escalation between the two sides. —Peter Aitken, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 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