as in to fade
to lose bodily strength or vigor
older people, especially, were languishing during the prolonged heat wave
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in listless
lacking bodily energy or motivation
his lingering sickness left him languishing and uninterested in his usual activities
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in failing
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
as in fading
to lose bodily strength or vigor
older people, especially, were languishing during the prolonged heat wave
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of languish
Seija Rankin, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2025
But the case languished for decades until Miller got her hands on it.
—Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 21 Oct. 2025
Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Sep. 2025
The leader of a program pairing low-income criminal defendants with free attorneys is out of her job, after a shortage of lawyers in Alameda County delayed prosecutions and left defendants languishing for weeks at the Santa Rita Jail.
—Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 27 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for languish
Verb
The movie premiered at Sundance in 2020 to buzzy acclaim — only to languish in pandemic limbo for 18 months.
—Seija Rankin, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2025
But the case languished for decades until Miller got her hands on it.
—Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 21 Oct. 2025
Verb
Unfortunately, Thirtysomething is still languishing in streaming purgatory, with the show only available to watch on DVD.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Sep. 2025
The leader of a program pairing low-income criminal defendants with free attorneys is out of her job, after a shortage of lawyers in Alameda County delayed prosecutions and left defendants languishing for weeks at the Santa Rita Jail.
—Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 27 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for languish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for languish
Adjective
-
In total, the men would spend 144 days aboard the listless vessel, until they were rescued June 15 by a Japanese fishing ship about 700 miles from Honolulu and 4,000 miles from Costa Rica.—
Virginia Chamlee,
PEOPLE,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Ohtani—the Dodgers’ 10-year, $700 million man—came into the game with one hit in the best-of-seven series against the listless Milwaukee Brewers, who now trail 3-0 after losing, 3-1, at Dodger Stadium Thursday night.—
Barry M. Bloom,
Sportico.com,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The editor of the Pine Bluff Commercial earned second place for commentary in a contest organized by America's Newspapers for his coverage of the failings of a city tax initiative that promised civic and economic restoration.—
Grant Lancaster,
Arkansas Online,
7 Nov. 2025
-
The new report only adds to a number of security failings exposed by the heist.—
Joseph Ataman,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
The first turned a fourth-quarter fumble into a 59-yard score when Achane burst through a tired, and seemingly defeated Buffalo defensive front and outsprinted the Bills’ entire secondary to the end zone.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
9 Nov. 2025
-
But that feels like a tired, outdated characterisation.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The Edmund Fitzgerald's sinking was quick.—
Stephen J. Beard,
USA Today,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Yet unlike the sinking of the Titanic in 1912, where many wealthy and influential passengers lost their lives, the Valbanera tragedy did not capture the public’s imagination and soon seemed to be forgotten.—
Raul A. Reyes,
NBC news,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Two shivering dogs now sat in her backseat, exhausted but safe.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Surely that has increasing resonance among the politically exhausted and spiritually disenchanted.—
Abby McCloskey,
Mercury News,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
After improvements in passenger totals in 2021, 2022, and 2023, San Jose and Oakland both began to suffer slumps in 2024 and the weakening pattern has lingered well into 2025, a review of official airport statistics shows.—
HECTOR AMEZCUA,
Sacbee.com,
7 Nov. 2025
-
After improvements in passenger totals in 2021, 2022, and 2023, San Jose and Oakland both began to suffer slumps in 2024 and the weakening pattern has lingered well into 2025, a review of official airport statistics shows.—
George Avalos,
Mercury News,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
After arriving at the residential property, a woman, who was not publicly identified, rushed toward him while carrying the limp baby in her arms.—
Jillian Frankel,
PEOPLE,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Chip had marked the birds down and brought them to me, warm, soft, and limp, one at a time.—
Joel M. Vance,
Outdoor Life,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
In the old tool, the factors weren’t measured by a worsening, neutral or improving score.—
Desiree Mathurin,
Charlotte Observer,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Potential complications include sinus and ear infections; inflammation of the heart, brain or muscle tissues; multi-organ failure; sepsis or the worsening of chronic conditions like asthma.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
23 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Languish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/languish. Accessed 29 Nov. 2025.
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