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
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
Scientists are eager to bring Perseverance's haul — the 10 sample tubes dropped onto the crater floor in 2023 — back to laboratories on Earth, but their return remains uncertain as NASA's troubled Mars Sample Return program languishes in limbo.
—Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 19 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
The music, perhaps accordingly, sometimes languishes in a middle zone of wistful genre exercises.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 11 Nov. 2025
Only Kordia — mischaracterized by the government, largely overlooked by the public and caught in a legal maze — languishes in detention.
—Dave Smith, Fortune, 3 Oct. 2025
The stock traded at well above $200 in 2021 but now languishes at about $84.
—John Dorfman, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
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
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
Scientists are eager to bring Perseverance's haul — the 10 sample tubes dropped onto the crater floor in 2023 — back to laboratories on Earth, but their return remains uncertain as NASA's troubled Mars Sample Return program languishes in limbo.
—Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 19 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
The music, perhaps accordingly, sometimes languishes in a middle zone of wistful genre exercises.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 11 Nov. 2025
Only Kordia — mischaracterized by the government, largely overlooked by the public and caught in a legal maze — languishes in detention.
—Dave Smith, Fortune, 3 Oct. 2025
The stock traded at well above $200 in 2021 but now languishes at about $84.
—John Dorfman, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for languishes
Verb
-
The California Association of Realtors also predicts that, as economic uncertainty fades and rates begin to decline more steadily, the housing market should improve throughout 2026.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Humans have been chewing gum for thousands of years, long after the flavor fades and without any clear nutritional benefit.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
An overreliance on tools weakens our civilization (and saps the film’s dramatic thrills).—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Ignoring this reality weakens any serious climate plan.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Queen of minimalism, Janet has essentially just set type in panels—but the way the background sags like a deflating hot-air balloon, with the type recessed into it, is so wry and brilliant.—
Emily Temple,
Literary Hub,
11 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
This first three-dimensional cross-sectional image goes 11 miles) below the crater and shows what appear to be various pools of magma at different depths, with rock or other material between them and more numerous toward the southeast of the crater.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
11 Jan. 2026
-
The handy bag goes with just about any outfit and can be dressed down for dog walks or dressed up for dinner out on the town.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The state’s latest energy plan fails to recognize and remedy this and portends a bleak, costly energy future, not to mention more pollution and higher health care costs.—
Anshul Gupta,
New York Daily News,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Holly added that any topic related to her wedding never fails to bring tears to her father's eyes.—
Rachel Raposas,
PEOPLE,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Street performers tune up, artists set out their work, and strangers lean shoulder to shoulder as the sun sinks into the Gulf for another Sunset Celebration.—
Carrie Honaker,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Over the following month, Jupiter sinks into the sun's glare.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Languishes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/languishes. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
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