Languish

Quick meaning: Languish is a verb meaning (intransitive) To lose strength and become weak; to be in a state of weakness or sickness.

Meaning

(intransitive) To lose strength and become weak; to be in a state of weakness or sickness.

More Meanings

1. (intransitive) To pine away in longing for something; to have low spirits, especially from lovesickness.
2. (intransitive) To live in miserable or disheartening conditions.
3. (intransitive) To be neglected; to make little progress, be unsuccessful.
4. (transitive, obsolete) To make weak; to weaken, devastate.
5. (intransitive, now rare) To affect a languid air, especially disingenuously.

Example Sentences

He languished in prison for years.

We […] do languish of such diseases.

He languished without his girlfriend.

The case languished for years before coming to trial.

Word Forms

• languishes
• languishing
• languished

Synonyms for languish

Depending on context, synonyms include rot, ache, pine, long, yearn, waste.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include fade, ache, waste, yearn, long, yen.

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