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
However, the idea for clap skates notably dates back to the 19th century, Maw points out, and just languished until an engineer finally found the right materials and design adjustments to make the concept work.
—
Mark Hay, Popular Science, 28 Jan. 2026
American presidents have a habit of reversing the space priorities of their predecessors, so missions have sometimes proceeded full force, then languished for years.
—IEEE Spectrum, 20 Jan. 2026
But all of these are either languishing in jails or under house arrest.
—Peter Nicholas, NBC news, 18 Jan. 2026
Inventories growing rapidly can reflect unsold products languishing on shelves.
—The Motley Fool, Dallas Morning News, 18 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for languish
Mark Hay, Popular Science, 28 Jan. 2026
American presidents have a habit of reversing the space priorities of their predecessors, so missions have sometimes proceeded full force, then languished for years.
—IEEE Spectrum, 20 Jan. 2026
But all of these are either languishing in jails or under house arrest.
—Peter Nicholas, NBC news, 18 Jan. 2026
Inventories growing rapidly can reflect unsold products languishing on shelves.
—The Motley Fool, Dallas Morning News, 18 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for languish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for languish
Verb
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Amid the recent furore, that trust and respect seem to be all but fading.—
Billy Stockwell,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
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Instead of fading quietly into the dark, 3I/ATLAS flared with activity, developing a glowing coma rich in water vapor, carbon dioxide and organic compounds.—
Samantha Mathewson,
Space.com,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In overwhelmingly Democratic districts, the outcome is almost always predetermined, further depressing turnout and weakening accountability.—
Grace Rauh,
New York Daily News,
3 Feb. 2026
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Healthy Rivers and Landscapes’ flexibility represents potentially weakened enforceable safeguards for environmental and tribal groups, as the program relies on voluntary commitments instead of mandatory flow standards.—
Chaewon Chung,
Sacbee.com,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Several recent special elections have gone well for Democrats, including a win in Virginia in September 2025.—
Kate Perez,
USA Today,
2 Feb. 2026
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After a skirmish, Pretti escaped from the officer and went toward the crowd.—
Hailey Bullis,
The Washington Examiner,
2 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Body oils can help tighten the look of mildly sagging or crepey skin by improving hydration and overall skin health.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
5 Feb. 2026
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Keep your core muscles tight, and make sure your hips don't sag.—
Jakob Roze,
Health,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The lawsuits allege all responsible for the balcony's upkeep failed to make the proper repairs prior to the collapse.—
Gillian Stawiszynski,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
7 Feb. 2026
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Morato also failed to connect with a golden opportunity to pull a goal back, shortly before Lorenzo Lucca finally did.—
Paul Taylor,
New York Times,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Perhaps, on extremely long timescales, those heavier elements will sink to the center of the core, producing an inert center that slows the rate of fusion even further.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
6 Feb. 2026
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Shares of chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) on Wednesday sank 17% and had their worst day since 2017 after the company forecast slightly less revenue in the first quarter than analysts had expected.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Film buffs were surprised by Tarantino’s taste (the Kill Bill director gave the top spot to Black Hawk Down, second place going to Toy Story 3), but Tarantino’s withering comments about Paul Dano overshadowed any debate about the list.—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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His ego would wither and blow away like so many leaves in autumn.—
Bill Goodykoontz,
AZCentral.com,
20 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Languish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/languish. Accessed 7 Feb. 2026.
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