as in faded
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 languished
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party had languished in the opposition for much of the last decade; its leader, Tarique Rahman, went into exile in 2008 following corruption allegations.
—
J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 15 Feb. 2026
About 50 Cuban men sent to Guantánamo in December and January have languished at Camp 6.
—Amy Maxmen, Miami Herald, 11 Feb. 2026
Much of the western US has languished in snow drought this winter due to unusually warm temperatures — meaning a slow start to the ski season and fears for summer water supplies.
—Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 10 Feb. 2026
The Times found the case had languished in a backlog of more than 10,000 that Dist.
—James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
As a result, Patel languished in jail for more than six weeks without bond, his lawyers said.
—Shaddi Abusaid, AJC.com, 9 Feb. 2026
One such bill passed in the House in 2024 but languished in the Senate.
—Tressie McMillan Cottom, Mercury News, 7 Feb. 2026
The referral, which also included claims that Mills violated campaign-finance and financial-disclosure laws, languished for more than a year.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2026
But its frozen juices have languished along with the broader frozen juice category.
—CBS News, 5 Feb. 2026
J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 15 Feb. 2026
About 50 Cuban men sent to Guantánamo in December and January have languished at Camp 6.
—Amy Maxmen, Miami Herald, 11 Feb. 2026
Much of the western US has languished in snow drought this winter due to unusually warm temperatures — meaning a slow start to the ski season and fears for summer water supplies.
—Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 10 Feb. 2026
The Times found the case had languished in a backlog of more than 10,000 that Dist.
—James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
As a result, Patel languished in jail for more than six weeks without bond, his lawyers said.
—Shaddi Abusaid, AJC.com, 9 Feb. 2026
One such bill passed in the House in 2024 but languished in the Senate.
—Tressie McMillan Cottom, Mercury News, 7 Feb. 2026
The referral, which also included claims that Mills violated campaign-finance and financial-disclosure laws, languished for more than a year.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2026
But its frozen juices have languished along with the broader frozen juice category.
—CBS News, 5 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for languished
Verb
-
In San Juan and nearby communities, neighborhoods buzzed as the Super Bowl itself faded into the background and attention turned entirely to Bad Bunny’s 13 minutes on stage.—
Martin Silva Rey,
Fortune,
10 Feb. 2026
-
When the Cougars were building their biggest lead, the boos for Wright had finally faded.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Bass, who was politically weakened by her performance during the fire and its aftermath, was already facing more than two dozen challengers looking to oust her in the June 2 primary — the vast majority little known to the public and not expected to pose any threat.—
David Zahniser,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
-
New York — US stocks dropped Thursday, continuing a recent patch of volatility, as Wall Street grappled with persistent nerves about artificial intelligence and economic data showed the labor market weakened over the past two months.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Monster bamboo, bougainvillea, and banana plants crashed in from the roadside; a tin roof sagged under the weight of a gaggle of marabou storks; baboons plundered trash cans at a highway intersection.—
Flora Stubbs,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Since taking over as GameStop's CEO in September 2023, Cohen has dramatically cut costs, improved the retailer's profitability and grown its collectibles business, even as overall sales have sagged.—
Gabrielle Fonrouge,
CNBC,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
So, owner Robert Kraft went with another familiar face and former Super Bowl champion, this time with head coaching experience already.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
6 Feb. 2026
-
As for accessories, Union went mostly minimal, save for a few pieces of gold jewelry to add a pop of color contrast to the mostly monochrome look.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The study said the debris could have come from a foreign ship that sank—given the lack of information from the Russian side, who could say?—
Ian Frazier,
New Yorker,
19 Jan. 2026
-
As revenue sank, the economy collapsed amid soaring inflation.—
Ian James,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Two months later, the appointment of another nominee, Keith Fountain, failed in a 5-4 decision of the Board of Directors, falling one short of the six votes necessary to confirm him.—
Joseph Flaherty,
Arkansas Online,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Federal overreach has failed our children, with literacy rates falling and a bloated federal budget wasting taxpayer dollars.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Languished.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/languished. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
