lang
uish
Third Person
languishes
Present Participle
languishing
Past Tense
languished
Past Participle
languished
1
to weaken or deteriorate, often due to neglect, illness, or sorrow
- The garden languished during the long drought.
- Without sunlight, the indoor plants began to languish.
- He languished after losing his spouse, unable to find joy.
- The abandoned animals languish without care.
- She languished in bed during her long illness.
2
to long deeply or yearn for something or someone absent
- She languished for the return of her lover who had gone to war.
- He languishes for the freedom he once enjoyed.
- The poet languished for the beauty of his homeland.
- The exile languished for familiar faces and familiar streets.
- They languished for a glimpse of their child taken abroad.
3
to display outward signs of sentimental, dreamy, or melancholy emotion
- She languishes with a dreamy smile when recalling her youth.
- He languished in the doorway, sighing wistfully.
- The actress languished on stage, her expression full of sorrow.
- When asked about her past, she languished with a melancholic gaze.
- He languished, speaking softly, lost in reminiscence.
Synonyms:
4
to fail to be successful or make any progress
- The once-promising startup began to languish after losing its major investor and failing to secure additional funding.
- Without proper support and resources, many talented students languish in underfunded schools.
- The ambitious project languished for years due to a lack of interest and investment.
- Despite her qualifications, she languished in an entry-level position with no opportunities for advancement.
- The legislation languished in Congress for months, unable to gain the necessary support to move forward.