as in fades
to lose bodily strength or vigor
older people, especially, were languishing during the prolonged heat wave
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Recent Examples of languishes
Mars languishes low in morning twilight for the fifth month in a row.
—
Joe Rao, Space.com, 2 May 2026
In the second, supply balloons while demand languishes, which could happen if, for example, the AI bubble pops.
—Big Think, 22 Apr. 2026
No such luck with Imperfect Women, which languishes in the same genre space but is perfectly obvious in comparison, a series that solves its mystery halfway through the season but still keeps going.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2026
Manu has found a home, but in the human world her mother languishes in a detention facility and her father, the head of a criminal enterprise, is known among her friends as a rebel who has disappeared and is assumed dead.
—Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 15 Feb. 2026
Those that finish from first to eighth in the league phase will automatically go through, and while Barca currently languishes in 15th, a win could take them up into the threshold depending on how other results pan out.
—Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Ditto for his team’s penalty kill, which languishes in the Eastern Conference basement.
—Julian McKenzie, New York Times, 3 Jan. 2026
That blueprint has since become a template for developers eager to cultivate exclusivity while testing pricing in private and avoiding the public scrutiny of how many days a home languishes on the open market.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 22 Dec. 2025
However, more volatility could be in store as bitcoin languishes more than 30% below its record high and nerves linger about the yen carry trade.
—John Towfighi, CNN Money, 1 Dec. 2025
Joe Rao, Space.com, 2 May 2026
In the second, supply balloons while demand languishes, which could happen if, for example, the AI bubble pops.
—Big Think, 22 Apr. 2026
No such luck with Imperfect Women, which languishes in the same genre space but is perfectly obvious in comparison, a series that solves its mystery halfway through the season but still keeps going.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2026
Manu has found a home, but in the human world her mother languishes in a detention facility and her father, the head of a criminal enterprise, is known among her friends as a rebel who has disappeared and is assumed dead.
—Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 15 Feb. 2026
Those that finish from first to eighth in the league phase will automatically go through, and while Barca currently languishes in 15th, a win could take them up into the threshold depending on how other results pan out.
—Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Ditto for his team’s penalty kill, which languishes in the Eastern Conference basement.
—Julian McKenzie, New York Times, 3 Jan. 2026
That blueprint has since become a template for developers eager to cultivate exclusivity while testing pricing in private and avoiding the public scrutiny of how many days a home languishes on the open market.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 22 Dec. 2025
However, more volatility could be in store as bitcoin languishes more than 30% below its record high and nerves linger about the yen carry trade.
—John Towfighi, CNN Money, 1 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for languishes
Verb
-
As his memory fades, Caroline must navigate the unimaginable.—
Deirdre Durkan,
PEOPLE,
1 May 2026
-
However, as the smell fades over time, so will its effectiveness in warding off mice.—
Michelle Mastro,
Martha Stewart,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
That inconsistency weakens the institution, erodes public trust, and leaves voters increasingly frustrated with both parties.—
Linh Tat,
Oc Register,
4 May 2026
-
The anti-diversity law weakens community expression.—
Jon Harris Maurer,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 May 2026
Verb
-
The roof flakes, the porch sags.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Their constant companion in the campaign is the Amazona 180 bag that made its debut on the Loewe runway last October, a slouchy, one-handle style that sags open when left unzipped.—
Miles Socha,
Footwear News,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Away goes the space normally occupied by pickup trucks and Weber grills.—
David Hudnall,
Kansas City Star,
30 Apr. 2026
-
From then on, the storytelling goes slack and perfunctory as sharks swarm and chomp on passengers and crew clinging for dear lives on rafts or slabs of plane wreckage.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Conversely, state governors have the same ability when the federal government fails to perform their duties, under the Ninth and Tenth amendments.—
Kaitlyn Schallhorn,
Oc Register,
4 May 2026
-
If the core players are anything other than spectacular, the team fails.—
Murat Ates,
New York Times,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
After Jaxson Hayes free throws, James sinks another layup.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
2 May 2026
-
Smart, anti-theft crossbody bags An overfilled tote can easily turn into a black hole mid-travel—everything sinks to the bottom, and nothing feels secure.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Languishes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/languishes. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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