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 Occasionally, even, the lover dies—shot in bed, languished in a cave, or disappeared by the government. Literary Hub, 14 July 2026 The Costume Institute’s main dedicated galleries previously languished in the basement, and the department is responsible for raising most of its own budget each year, a task accomplished in large part by its annual fund-raiser, the starry Met Gala. Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 29 June 2026 But the maneuver failed to budge Comcast’s listless stock, which has languished for years as its primary business lost thousands of broadband customers. Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2026 Comcast’s stock has languished for years, reflecting Wall Street skepticism about its combination of content and distribution and its ability to compete with the likes of Netflix. Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 29 June 2026 But as fights over AI and data centers have roiled politics in recent weeks, legislation to regulate both has languished nationally and in Missouri. Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 24 June 2026 But only in one of those years did the measure get the needed two-thirds supermajority, so the matter languished. ABC News, 10 June 2026 The House's effort to circumvent leadership on support for Ukraine comes as bipartisan legislation in the Senate to impose new economic sanctions on Russia has languished for more than a year, with senators waiting for a green light from the White House. Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 5 June 2026 The election bill has languished in the Senate for months, after the House passed a version in February on a near party-line vote. Miles Parks, NPR, 4 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for languished
Verb
  • Over time, however, the tradition faded as survivors aged and passed away.
    Michelle Oliva-Espinosa, Kansas City Star, 18 July 2026
  • When the Paris Games rolled around, Ingebrigtsen faded to fourth while American Cole Hocker pulled a huge upset, with Kerr finishing second.
    ABC News, ABC News, 18 July 2026
Verb
  • Researchers, educators, and policymakers questioned whether broadcasting encouraged juvenile delinquency, weakened family relationships, and gave governments and media organizations unprecedented influence over public opinion.
    Michael Edmondson, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
  • Hochul, who weakened the state’s climate goals and signed off on new gas pipelines, is again an example.
    Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 21 July 2026
Verb
  • Over the past month the company’s share price has sagged by 10% with most investment banks tipping a continuation of the decline.
    Tim Treadgold, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
  • Though the country’s exports have been churning along at an extraordinary pace — China shipped a record $412 billion of goods last month — domestic consumption has sagged, leading some analysts to warn of a potential deflationary spiral.
    Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 15 July 2026
Verb
  • Robbie Williams was not using cocaine during the World Cup final on Sunday, after a video went viral of a white object falling from his mouth onto a microphone during an interview.
    Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 21 July 2026
  • Michelle Obama recently wore a similar pale blue polish, Emily Blunt went lavender, and Taylor Swift got a jumpstart on the season in an equally chilly millennial mint shade.
    Kara Nesvig, Allure, 20 July 2026
Verb
  • 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
  • The study said the debris could have come from a foreign ship that sank—given the lack of information from the Russian side, who could say?
    Ian Frazier, New Yorker, 19 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • But her healthcare providers failed to properly diagnose and treat her condition, the lawsuit alleges.
    Chelsea Bailey, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
  • There was Kylian Mbappe, lethal and prolific, even after France failed to make a third straight final.
    Jerry Brewer, New York Times, 20 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Languished.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/languished. Accessed 23 Jul. 2026.

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