languished

past tense of languish

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of languished Yet meaningful, comprehensive control of AI both on the battlefield and off has languished, largely because trust between governments and understanding of the technology and its risks is lacking, Russell said. Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026 Those efforts have largely languished or have been outright shut down by the courts. Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 22 Aug. 2026 However, Nike still languished as Hill's efforts to turn the company around were taking much longer than expected. Natasha Abellard, CNBC, 12 Aug. 2026 Willis wasn’t heavily recruited out of high school, languished on the bench two seasons at Auburn (14 total pass attempts), then transferred to finish college for the lower-tier Liberty Flames. Miami Herald, 10 Aug. 2026 For 78 years, the boys’ story—and hundreds of others like it—had languished in storage. Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 6 Aug. 2026 Many sloths intended for display at the International Drive attraction languished and died by early this year in small cages inside an unheated warehouse. Rylan Digiacomo-Rapp, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2026 Originally conceived alongside their collaborations on those scores, the album languished as Jóhannsson’s film career exploded before ultimately being shelved after his death. Spin Staff, SPIN, 31 July 2026 In vivid strokes of saffron orange and seafoam green watercolors, Wilson rendered a vibrant portrait of herself plundering birthday cake by the handful as party guests languished around the frame. Tania Azhang, Sacbee.com, 26 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for languished
Verb
  • Their content together, appearances, red carpet moments, casual clips of them out in Los Angeles, has kept fans invested in their story past the finale, extending the shelf life of a couple that could otherwise have faded once the season ended.
    Olivia Shalhoup, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The next major episode of persistent trade imbalances was the rare case in which the imbalances faded away without causing major disruption.
    MICHAEL PETTIS, Foreign Affairs, 28 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Airstrikes have weakened the regime militarily but strengthened its standing internally.
    Nate Swanson, Foreign Affairs, 25 Aug. 2026
  • That mechanism has weakened substantially since the global financial crisis, and particularly since 2020.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Officers quickly converged to help subdue the teen, with Merks pulling the gun from the backside of his jeans, which had sagged below his mid-thigh.
    Cristóbal Reyes, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Flags sagged in the rain and translucent ponchos billowed in the wind, but the sound of bagpipes and a booming sousaphone kept the crowd moving.
    Lila Hempel-Edgers, Chicago Tribune, 1 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • With the patchwork lineup, the Giants had 10 hits and went an impressive 5-for-11 with runners in scoring position to help snap a four-game losing streak.
    Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The Atlanta Braves also activated a deal with Kalshi without a formal announcement around the start of August that went unnoticed by news media.
    Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 24 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Bridget Carleton blocked a shot by Copper and grabbed the rebound with 12 seconds to go, then sank two free throws for a four-point lead after Copper fouled her.
    ABC News, ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026
  • On their first two trips to the property, the enormity of the task at hand—and their utter naiveté in taking it on—sank in.
    Ingrid Abramovitch, Architectural Digest, 22 May 2026
Verb
  • Critically, the owner of the footage failed to show any impact on the market for the footage and in fact had never licensed the footage for compensation.
    Schuyler Moore, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Congress legalized home brewing in 1978 Occasional efforts in recent years to change the law failed to gain traction.
    Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Languished.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/languished. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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