as in to fade
to lose bodily strength or vigor
older people, especially, were languishing during the prolonged heat wave
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Recent Examples of languish
Most of the people involved in this story wind up either dead, maimed, spending months in a mental hospital, languishing in jail, or gone underground.
—
Evan Ratliff, WIRED, 21 Feb. 2025
People have grown accustomed to the club languishing in the lower half, so slipping behind an Everton side that has teetered on the brink of implosion for much of the season barely registers.
—Laurie Whitwell, The Athletic, 16 Feb. 2025
The biggest culprit is soggy leaves languishing in the vase water.
—Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 14 Feb. 2025
Sierra uprising For decades, Sierra College languished in the shadows of larger, more prominent junior college athletic programs in the greater Sacramento region, including American River College and Sacramento City College.
—Joe Davidson, Sacramento Bee, 14 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for languish
Evan Ratliff, WIRED, 21 Feb. 2025
People have grown accustomed to the club languishing in the lower half, so slipping behind an Everton side that has teetered on the brink of implosion for much of the season barely registers.
—Laurie Whitwell, The Athletic, 16 Feb. 2025
The biggest culprit is soggy leaves languishing in the vase water.
—Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 14 Feb. 2025
Sierra uprising For decades, Sierra College languished in the shadows of larger, more prominent junior college athletic programs in the greater Sacramento region, including American River College and Sacramento City College.
—Joe Davidson, Sacramento Bee, 14 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for languish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for languish
Verb
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The easy, and true, earlier justifications about who attacked whom, and about whether Vladimir Putin should be allowed free rein of Europe, faded into cliché.—
Jay Caspian Kang,
The New Yorker,
7 Mar. 2025
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But when Yvonne develops troubling symptoms from a tick bite, the rural paradise fades away revealing a breeding ground for a disturbing new life.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
7 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Fed officials are closely monitoring inflation and the labor market for signs of a potentially weakening economy.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Feb. 2025
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But the Trump administration's new cuts further weaken a banking watchdog that has been sounding the alarm for years about its decreasing ability to prevent future banking crises.—
Maria Aspan,
NPR,
27 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The Vikings went undefeated in the DuKane Conference and won a regional title.—
Paul Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Mar. 2025
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While holding onto resentment—or ignoring reality—can lead to distance and anger, letting go allows couples to move forward without carrying the weight of baggage.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes,
8 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The different firmness levels ensure that the mattress will never sag, regardless of the sleeper’s body type.—
Nashia Baker,
Architectural Digest,
27 Feb. 2025
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Finally, King notes, check the basement or crawlspace for damp areas, standing water, mold, or sagging floor joists.—
Betsy Cribb Watson,
Southern Living,
26 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Despite being aware of the cellmate’s dangerous behavior, staff failed to intervene, according to a lawsuit.—
Stories by Real-Time News team, with AI summarization,
Miami Herald,
7 Mar. 2025
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The Starship rocket also failed minutes after launching from SpaceX's Texas facility in January, with falling debris causing damage to properties on the Turks and Caicos Islands in the Caribbean.—
Tommy Tuberville,
Newsweek,
7 Mar. 2025
Verb
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One of the vessels sank before sunrise, according to NBC South Florida.—
Muri Assunção,
New York Daily News,
7 Mar. 2025
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Exceptionally gentle, shockingly lightweight, and never greasy, this sinks quickly into skin and pairs well with other lotions and potions in your regimen.—
Kiana Murden,
Vogue,
7 Mar. 2025
Verb
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O'Neal explained that her confidence in her acting ability began to wither under Ryan's blistering criticism.—
Ashley Hume,
Fox News,
28 Feb. 2025
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Death is rarely physically dignified, and visibly withering from old age in front of the entire world is perhaps one of the heaviest crosses a pope must bear.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
28 Feb. 2025
Articles Related to languish
Cite this Entry
“Languish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/languish. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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