as in faded
to lose bodily strength or vigor
older people, especially, were languishing during the prolonged heat wave
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Recent Examples of languished
But the case languished for decades until Miller got her hands on it.
—
Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 21 Oct. 2025
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has languished for months as peace talks continue to see little progress and an escalation between the two sides.
—Peter Aitken, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025
The book languished for several years because the government censor said anyone who read it would never volunteer to fight.
—New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
His appeals were repeatedly denied, and his case languished until the Pennsylvania Innocence Project joined his defense team.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 11 Oct. 2025
Since then, oil prices have languished.
—Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 9 Oct. 2025
But Ohad languished as a prisoner of Hamas for 491 days — much of that time spent underground in Hamas’ vast tunnel system.
—Nbc News, NBC news, 8 Oct. 2025
The once-glittering Malvasia routes languished.
—Layne Randolph, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
The cool nights and crisp clear days of fall rejuvenate flowering annuals and perennials that may have languished in the heat of summer.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 8 Sep. 2025
Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 21 Oct. 2025
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has languished for months as peace talks continue to see little progress and an escalation between the two sides.
—Peter Aitken, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025
The book languished for several years because the government censor said anyone who read it would never volunteer to fight.
—New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
His appeals were repeatedly denied, and his case languished until the Pennsylvania Innocence Project joined his defense team.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 11 Oct. 2025
Since then, oil prices have languished.
—Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 9 Oct. 2025
But Ohad languished as a prisoner of Hamas for 491 days — much of that time spent underground in Hamas’ vast tunnel system.
—Nbc News, NBC news, 8 Oct. 2025
The once-glittering Malvasia routes languished.
—Layne Randolph, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
The cool nights and crisp clear days of fall rejuvenate flowering annuals and perennials that may have languished in the heat of summer.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 8 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for languished
Verb
-
Hopes of Orange County renters for any noteworthy discounting have faded.—
Jonathan Lansner,
Oc Register,
22 Oct. 2025
-
In time, the lyrical controversy faded, but it was never really resolved.—
Dan Beck,
Variety,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
After accounting for lifestyle variables like exercise, the effects weakened a bit as, for example, more active people tend to spend more time outdoors.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
24 Oct. 2025
-
San Francisco artificial intelligence giant OpenAI weakened its chatbots’ anti-suicide protections in the run-up to the death of teenager Adam Raine, according to new claims in a lawsuit by the boy’s parents.—
Ethan Baron,
Mercury News,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The counterculture had curdled, Vietnam was over but unsettled, and the economy sagged into stagflation.—
Eric Cortellessa,
Time,
25 Sep. 2025
-
The Democratic Party’s brand — as well as the approval rating for some of the state’s top Democratic officials — has indeed sagged, even in solidly blue Colorado, according to a recent poll.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
After previously awarded National Endowment for the Humanities grants to organizations around the country were canceled in April, Wisconsin Humanities went into survival mode and launched an emergency fundraising campaign.—
Jim Higgins,
jsonline.com,
27 Oct. 2025
-
On the beauty front, Nader styled her blond hair in loose waves and went with a dewy makeup look.—
Kelsey Stewart,
Footwear News,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Again, on the heels of September’s rate, short-term Treasury yields sank, but the 10-year yield soared back to its highest point in nearly a fortnight.—
Tiana Lowe Doescher,
The Washington Examiner,
19 Sep. 2025
-
But after spending nearly three decades sitting dormant in Philadelphia, the ship was sold to Okaloosa County in Florida, to be sunk and turned into an artificial reef.—
Danny Freeman,
CNN Money,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The melancholy truth is that things have sunk into a morass of demoralization and low standards, with journalism inhabiting the poverty sector among the disciplines, and this at a time when communications nationally and internationally have reached an apex of urgency and complexity.—
David Wingrave,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
-
His approval rating has sunk to historic lows - with disapproval now topping 60%, though polls suggest the outcome Sunday remains uncertain.—
NPR,
NPR,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The last time this happened in the Championship before this season was 2013-14, when Derby, Middlesbrough, Bolton Wanderers, Wednesday and Yeovil Town all failed to win any of their first five home matches.—
Richard Sutcliffe,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
-
Russ Anderson also failed to challenge the bank’s incentive compensation program, failed to institute effective controls and repeatedly downplayed sales practices misconduct, Hsu previously said.—
Desiree Mathurin,
Charlotte Observer,
23 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Languished.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/languished. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
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