languish
languish Lexical Profile
languish Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To be forced to remain in an unpleasant, neglected, or stagnant place or situation without making progress.
"The housing reform bill continued to languish in committee for several months before finally coming to a vote."
To lose or lack vitality, strength, or energy; to grow weak, feeble, or listless.
"Without sufficient sunlight and water, the potted plants began to languish on the windowsill."
To pine with longing, unrequited love, or grief, or to assume a sentimentally sorrowful expression.
"In classic romantic poetry, the hero often languishes for a distant beloved who never returns his affection."
• Rhymes for languish
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in Middle English from Old French 'languiss-', the extended stem of 'languir', which derives from Latin 'languere' (to be faint, weak, or listless), sharing an ancient root with 'lax' and 'slack'.