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
But rather than allow that foundational genre of American music to languish in novelty, Ragger urge a reconsideration of ragtime’s entrenched perception as pure whimsy.
—
Aly Eleanor, Pitchfork, 19 Feb. 2026
That talks languished for various reasons, and Preller’s long-term status was undetermined as spring training began.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Feb. 2026
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party had languished in the opposition for much of the last decade; its leader, Tarique Rahman, went into exile in 2008 following corruption allegations.
—Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 16 Feb. 2026
Manu has found a home, but in the human world her mother languishes in a detention facility and her father, the head of a criminal enterprise, is known among her friends as a rebel who has disappeared and is assumed dead.
—Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 15 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for languish
Aly Eleanor, Pitchfork, 19 Feb. 2026
That talks languished for various reasons, and Preller’s long-term status was undetermined as spring training began.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Feb. 2026
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party had languished in the opposition for much of the last decade; its leader, Tarique Rahman, went into exile in 2008 following corruption allegations.
—Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 16 Feb. 2026
Manu has found a home, but in the human world her mother languishes in a detention facility and her father, the head of a criminal enterprise, is known among her friends as a rebel who has disappeared and is assumed dead.
—Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 15 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for languish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for languish
Verb
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Once the blocks and spires of Palma faded into the distance, the 25-minute drive from the airport took me past crumbling homes, fields of curious farm animals, and not a soul in sight for miles at a time.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 Feb. 2026
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Singleton acknowledged that sustaining the coordinated, multi-agency model beyond the World Cup will be difficult once the spotlight fades.—
Cierra Morgan,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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While speculation has focused on the possibility of two Republicans advancing, the more likely scenario is that only one GOP candidate reaches November — and does so weakened.—
Barnini Chakraborty,
The Washington Examiner,
24 Feb. 2026
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The effect occurs because friction between grains drops sharply under fast loads, weakening the internal force networks that normally support the material.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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As talented journalists go independent on Substack and YouTube and other legacy publications like The New York Times lean into personalization in nearly every element of their business, The Economist has resisted change.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
23 Feb. 2026
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What makes the shoe so appealing is its nonchalant, slip-on-and-go versatility.—
Minty Mellon,
Vogue,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Residents were urged to check barns and other buildings for sagging roofs, safely remove snow and ensure animals are in a secure location.—
Ishani Desai,
Sacbee.com,
20 Feb. 2026
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Sidewalks are apparently sagging in the area, with the problem being worse Wednesday than the day before.—
Nick Caloway,
CBS News,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Israel’s government has repeatedly criticized its counterpart in Australia for failing to address antisemitic attacks in the country.—
Chris Lau,
CNN Money,
21 Feb. 2026
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Zimmerman also argued that the trial attorneys failed to hire experts to testify on Serafini’s behalf in the trial, and that Dratman did not provide much of a defense in his closing argument.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
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And the theatrical experience of movies could become a sinking ship.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
21 Feb. 2026
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For heavy grease, place the solution in a large container or sink and soak the basket and tray for 30 minutes to an hour.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In reality, the effect a low-gravity environment would have on the human body over time would be withering.—
Alan Bradley,
Space.com,
21 Feb. 2026
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Daytime and late night, for sure, have been withering faster than other aspects of the traditional TV business.—
Rick Porter,
HollywoodReporter,
21 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Languish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/languish. Accessed 26 Feb. 2026.
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