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
And packaging languishing properties is a fairly common tactic, brokers say.
—
Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 2 June 2026
Some blame clubs in the country’s top domestic league, Serie A, for filling their lineups with foreign players, while Italian prospects languish on the bench.
—Albert Samaha, New Yorker, 30 May 2026
There’s Haley Stevens, a congresswoman backed by Chuck Schumer and AIPAC who is languishing in third place in the polls.
—Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 29 May 2026
Over most of the past 27 years, Dolan has been directly responsible for many bad trades, the hiring of incompetent front office personnel and even the expulsion from Madison Square Garden of fan favorite Charles Oakley, all while the team languished near the bottom of the standings year after year.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for languish
Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 2 June 2026
Some blame clubs in the country’s top domestic league, Serie A, for filling their lineups with foreign players, while Italian prospects languish on the bench.
—Albert Samaha, New Yorker, 30 May 2026
There’s Haley Stevens, a congresswoman backed by Chuck Schumer and AIPAC who is languishing in third place in the polls.
—Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 29 May 2026
Over most of the past 27 years, Dolan has been directly responsible for many bad trades, the hiring of incompetent front office personnel and even the expulsion from Madison Square Garden of fan favorite Charles Oakley, all while the team languished near the bottom of the standings year after year.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for languish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for languish
Verb
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While desirable homes still sell quickly, frenzied bidding wars have faded.—
Sara B. Hansen,
Denver Post,
29 May 2026
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Deadheading Is Another Form Of Pinching Back Deadheading is similar to pinching back, but it is done once the flowers begin to fade.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
28 May 2026
Verb
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Over the course of two summers, the Kings weakened the fulcrum of their roster by losing Matt Roy and Vladislav Gavrikov in free agency, then exacerbating matters by casting off Jordan Spence for a modest return.—
Andrew Knoll,
Daily News,
9 June 2026
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The acid can etch, discolor, or weaken stone and concrete.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
9 June 2026
Verb
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In order to appease the Production Code, and facing pressure from the Roman Catholic League of Decency, Lolita’s age was never referenced in the film, and the physical relationship between Lolita and Humbert Humbert went undepicted.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 June 2026
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But after struggling on the road before losing consecutive games at home against Las Vegas and Dallas amid a three-game losing streak, the Sparks needed something to go right.—
Marisa Ingemi,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
Verb
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Trump’s sagging approval rating comes as Democrats have a chance at outperforming Republicans in midterms, with Emerson’s May poll showing Democrats with a 9-point advantage on the generic congressional ballot, though 9% of voters were undecided.—
Sara Dorn,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
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Stock performance by Salesforce on Thursday, which sagged despite an impressive beat on profits and revenues, is emblematic of the troubles facing software.—
Tobias Burns,
CNBC,
28 May 2026
Verb
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However, the anticipated state finals clash was not to be as Calabasas dropped the baton in the Southern Section finals and failed to advance.—
Steve Galluzzo,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
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It has been cited seven times by the AQMD since 2012 for such things as failing to report breakdowns and failing to maintain a system that measures and records temperatures.—
Jason Henry,
Oc Register,
30 May 2026
Verb
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Still, the scenery was magnificent as the sun began to sink below the treeline.—
Patrick Connolly,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 May 2026
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In recent years, the Houthis have demonstrated their ability to disrupt maritime navigation near Bab al-Mandeb by attacking, seizing and sinking vessels passing through its waters.—
CNN Staff,
CNN Money,
29 May 2026
Verb
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The Chanel suits, dark glasses, nasal voice and withering judgments became part of the national image.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 June 2026
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Months of withering brutal weather gave way to soccer abandon on the turf, as two of Ottawa’s best junior teams clashed in the sunlight.—
Paula Newton,
CNN Money,
6 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Languish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/languish. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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