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
Add a Showstopper If the focal point of your container garden languishes at the end of summer, replace it with a fresh, eye-catching plant.
—
Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Sep. 2025
Replacing Jack Doohan with Franco Colapinto after just six races into the 2025 season, the Argentinian has failed to impress as the team languishes at the bottom of the standings.
—Alex Harrington, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Sep. 2025
But in the rush to publish videos, B2B brands may skip essential steps that will determine whether their YouTube content gets views, addresses the audience’s needs and drives conversions or languishes in cyberspace.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Sectors that have lagged year to date, including health care, energy and real estate, are outperforming this week — while tech languishes.
—Sarah Min, CNBC, 21 Aug. 2025
While the former feels intense pressure to provide for his family, the latter languishes as a result of a lifelong lack of love and encouragement.
—Charlie Campbell, TIME, 24 Jan. 2025
Meanwhile the naira currency languishes at record lows against the dollar.
—Chinedu Asadu, Los Angeles Times, 22 Dec. 2024
In Lower Manhattan, 40 Wall Street languishes, with tenants vacating the office tower and profits falling.
—Dan Alexander, Forbes, 1 Oct. 2024
Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Sep. 2025
Replacing Jack Doohan with Franco Colapinto after just six races into the 2025 season, the Argentinian has failed to impress as the team languishes at the bottom of the standings.
—Alex Harrington, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Sep. 2025
But in the rush to publish videos, B2B brands may skip essential steps that will determine whether their YouTube content gets views, addresses the audience’s needs and drives conversions or languishes in cyberspace.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Sectors that have lagged year to date, including health care, energy and real estate, are outperforming this week — while tech languishes.
—Sarah Min, CNBC, 21 Aug. 2025
While the former feels intense pressure to provide for his family, the latter languishes as a result of a lifelong lack of love and encouragement.
—Charlie Campbell, TIME, 24 Jan. 2025
Meanwhile the naira currency languishes at record lows against the dollar.
—Chinedu Asadu, Los Angeles Times, 22 Dec. 2024
In Lower Manhattan, 40 Wall Street languishes, with tenants vacating the office tower and profits falling.
—Dan Alexander, Forbes, 1 Oct. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for languishes
Verb
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Midnight blue, a heavier shade, has been favored in recent years as the summer fades and fall approaches.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
6 Sep. 2025
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And when history is forgotten, respect for it fades.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Bottom line—moving Space Command headquarters weakens our national security at the worst possible time.—
Stephen Clark,
ArsTechnica,
3 Sep. 2025
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If employees rely on tools only for quick answers, curiosity weakens.—
Dr. Diane Hamilton,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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As for Cracker Barrel, where the company goes from here is anyone’s guess.—
Graham Hillard,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Sep. 2025
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Money raised from Arizona lottery games goes toward funding higher education, health and human services, environmental conservation and economic and business development in the state.—
Lorenzino Estrada,
AZCentral.com,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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And really, if Young fails, Canales fails, too.—
Mike Kaye
September 10,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Sep. 2025
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Alternatively, a star being ripped apart in TDE could produce a day-long GRB, but this scenario fails to replicate other properties of the GRB 250702B, an explosion that would require a very unusual star being destroyed by an even stranger black hole.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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People have to decide instantly whether to open or delay, and if the subject line does not signal importance, the email sinks to the bottom of the inbox.—
Dr. Diane Hamilton,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
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But the same storm that ignites Ivy’s career as a successful restaurateur sinks Theo’s tenure as an architect and causes his breathtaking (albeit not entirely sound) maritime museum to crumble.—
Erin Jensen,
USA Today,
28 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Languishes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/languishes. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
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