languish
verb (used without object)
to be or become weak or feeble; droop; fade.
languished
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past participleof languish.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
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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
Ackman had praised Universal’s CEO Lucian Grainge, saying the company’s stock price had languished for reasons unrelated to its performance in the music business.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 3, 2026
Former state controller Betty Yee — who languished at the bottom of the polls — held on for a few more weeks before calling it quits.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 3, 2026
In any case, the new calendar languished for years.
From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife
