languish
verb (used without object)
to be or become weak or feeble; droop; fade.
languished
-
past participleof languish.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
-
past tense formof languish.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
languishverb (used without object)to be or become weak or feeble; droop; fade.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In return, he left us a sublime body of work, one that languished in astonishing critical neglect until the mid-19th and early-20th centuries, the result of a dwindling taste for monastic and devotional art.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
He languished with Memphis and Washington after consistently contributing to playoff runs with Boston.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026
The ETF then languished in correction territory — it never rose more than 10% off that Nov. 20 low — until it made a new low in early February.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 10, 2026
High-end Bloomingdale’s has been an especially bright spot, with comparable-store sales rising 10% in each of the past two quarters, even as the broader luxury industry has languished.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 4, 2026
By the time the two of them finished trimming it — their tree-trimming instincts having languished for so many Christmases — hardly a pine needle could be seen under the tinsel and balls and whatnot.
From "Maniac Magee" by Jerry Spinelli
