languish

1 of 2

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

languisher

2 of 2

noun

lan·​guish·​er

-shə(r)

plural -s

: one that languishes

Synonyms of languish

Verb

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

Examples of languish in a Sentence

Verb

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

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Some of the world’s best soccer stars and managers suddenly started signing for a club that had been languishing in mediocrity for some time. — Ben Church, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2026

Pelosi’s endorsement sent Chan, who had been languishing in polls, surging past Democratic tech millionaire Saikat Chakrabarti in the June primary. — Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026

Even the Air Jordan 1 had a period of languishing on shelves in the ’90s, but the Air Force 1 has never had a comparable dip in appeal. — Olivia Cigliano, Footwear News, 28 Sep. 2026

Beneath the balcony, this street, witness to and confidante of the entire twenty-three years of these young people’s lives, was languishing in the fragrant July night, densely thronged with strolling city dwellers even now. — Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, New Yorker, 27 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French languiss-, stem of languir, from Vulgar Latin *languire, from Latin languēre

First Known Use

Verb

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