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
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of languish
With the men’s national team languishing at 94th in the FIFA rankings and likely to miss out on the next World Cup, the robots at least know how to put on a show — and score.
—
Freddie Clayton, NBC news, 29 June 2025
Meanwhile, South Korea stands out as Asia’s best performer amid the region’s divergent performances, while Thailand, Turkey, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia languish at the bottom of the global rankings.
—Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 8 July 2025
Without these, even the most advanced models may languish in obscurity.
—Vivian Toh, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025
He's also languished in the inky shadow of mystery that director Christopher Nolan brought to D.C.’s other major superhero, Batman, starting with Batman Begins.
—Tom Gliatto, People.com, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for languish
Freddie Clayton, NBC news, 29 June 2025
Meanwhile, South Korea stands out as Asia’s best performer amid the region’s divergent performances, while Thailand, Turkey, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia languish at the bottom of the global rankings.
—Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 8 July 2025
Without these, even the most advanced models may languish in obscurity.
—Vivian Toh, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025
He's also languished in the inky shadow of mystery that director Christopher Nolan brought to D.C.’s other major superhero, Batman, starting with Batman Begins.
—Tom Gliatto, People.com, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for languish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for languish
Verb
-
The brand recommends avoiding dabbing or blotting after applying the spray, as this can cause the fragrance to break down and fade.—
Jennifer Hussein,
Allure,
15 July 2025
-
The celestial trio will remain close to each other throughout the night, with Saturn and Neptune eventually fading from sight in the southern sky when the sun rises on July 16.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
15 July 2025
Verb
-
This weakens their ability to educate, create, and grow.—
Miguel Cardona,
Time,
21 July 2025
-
This could help verify recent findings from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) that suggest this strange force is actually weakening over time.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
20 July 2025
Verb
-
New Hampshire law even goes a step further to prohibit deepfakes of any kind that cause reputational harm, including deepfakes of political candidates.—
Angela Eichhorst,
Hartford Courant,
15 July 2025
-
The story goes that the robbery occurred in broad daylight while occupants of Villa Nellcôte watched TV, having reportedly been conducted by Marseille drug dealers that Richards was said to have owed money to.—
Tyler Jenke,
Billboard,
15 July 2025
Verb
-
This reaction forms harmful compounds known as advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which can damage collagen fibers and potentially promote wrinkles and sagging skin.8 5.—
Lauren Panoff,
Verywell Health,
25 July 2025
-
Unlike cheaper chairs at this price point (even the Snow Peak!), the mesh lets air flow through and conforms to your body without soaking or sagging.—
Chris Haslam,
Wired News,
16 July 2025
Verb
-
The agency failed to answer thousands of calls from flood survivors after allowing contracts for call-center workers to lapse one day after the disaster, according to The New York Times.—
Zoë Schlanger,
The Atlantic,
15 July 2025
-
Last July, when the blade failed, foam fiberglass and other debris settled to the ocean floor, entered the water table and littered Nantucket beaches for months.—
Kenneth R. Gosselin,
Hartford Courant,
15 July 2025
Verb
-
Barratt Redrow shares sank sharply on Tuesday morning, after the FTSE 100 company warned that legacy issues would hit profits and announced lower-than-expected completions for the last financial year.—
Royston Wild,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
-
In his view, that’s why the dollar sank 10% against other top global currencies in the first half of the year, marking the greenback’s worst such performance since 1953.—
Danny Bakst,
Fortune,
13 July 2025
Verb
-
Overall, 83 percent of parents said that their households are in similar or worse financial situation than last year and more than half of those surveyed anticipate the economy to continue to wither within the next six months.—
Kanika Talwar,
Footwear News,
10 July 2025
-
Joint projects that Europe has already funded may wither.—
Joshua Yaffa,
New Yorker,
24 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Languish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/languish. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share