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
Her seventh novel follows longtime friends Laura Miller and Edmund Putnam, both languishing in personal and professional troughs.
—
Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Jan. 2026
Somehow at O’Hare, things that languish elsewhere get fixed.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 5 Jan. 2026
After languishing on the market for over a year, Los Angeles Dodgers star Freddie Freeman has finally managed to offload his modern farmhouse-style residence in the far western reaches of Studio City.
—Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 3 Jan. 2026
Ditto for his team’s penalty kill, which languishes in the Eastern Conference basement.
—Julian McKenzie, New York Times, 3 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for languish
Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Jan. 2026
Somehow at O’Hare, things that languish elsewhere get fixed.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 5 Jan. 2026
After languishing on the market for over a year, Los Angeles Dodgers star Freddie Freeman has finally managed to offload his modern farmhouse-style residence in the far western reaches of Studio City.
—Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 3 Jan. 2026
Ditto for his team’s penalty kill, which languishes in the Eastern Conference basement.
—Julian McKenzie, New York Times, 3 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for languish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for languish
Verb
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The California Association of Realtors also predicts that, as economic uncertainty fades and rates begin to decline more steadily, the housing market should improve throughout 2026.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
12 Jan. 2026
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As human activity and food waste returned, those differences appeared to fade in later generations.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Evergreen branches bent under the weight of snow are already weakened; sweeping down the length of the branch toward the ground adds to the stress and increases the potential for breakage.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Jan. 2026
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These policies impose devastating costs on American citizens, weakening our economy, increasing the national debt, straining public budgets and tearing families apart.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Most of them go deep into the memory vault of childhood, recalling fishing trips and family gatherings.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Jan. 2026
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Nordstrom Lucky Brand Fair Isle Shawl-Collar Cardigan Both Lopez’s and Hudson’s sweaters appear to be from Polo Ralph Lauren (the former’s looks like this one that's no longer available, while the latter’s resembles this one that goes for $798).—
Alyssa Grabinski,
PEOPLE,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The fragile skeleton of her ego threatened to snap under the pressure of the animal forces that pressed down on her consciousness, her narrative mind sagging and distended beneath pitiless and grandiose feeling.—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
11 Jan. 2026
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Pre-festival enthusiasm sagged compared to the inaugural year.—
Théoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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If the settlement failed to cover the amount owed, some funders went after the women for the remainder.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 Jan. 2026
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Owner Mark Davis has failed for years to find answers, and this time around, Tom Brady appears to be taking control of the rebuild.—
J.J. Bailey,
New York Times,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The runner offers a neutral design with texture and fluff that gives your feet something comfy to sink into.—
Toni Sutton,
PEOPLE,
13 Jan. 2026
-
The engine, freed from its hook by a sudden hard, precise kick, quickly sank into the river, pulling the cord tight and dragging the foreman underwater.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Employment doldrums have affected even the state’s hallmark sectors, most obviously Southern California’s withering film and TV production industry and the Bay Area’s high technology concentration.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
6 Jan. 2026
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For much of those eight years, Powell endured withering public criticism from the president, who named him as chair.—
Steve Liesman,
CNBC,
2 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Languish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/languish. Accessed 18 Jan. 2026.
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