languish
C1formal, literary
Definition
Meaning
to become weak, lose vitality, or suffer from being neglected or deprived of something needed.
To exist in an unpleasant or unwanted situation for a long time; to pine or yearn for something; to be forced to remain in a state of inactivity or neglect.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Often implies a prolonged state of suffering, decline, or neglect, with a sense of passive endurance. Can describe physical, emotional, or situational decline.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Spelling is identical.
Connotations
Slightly more literary/formal in both varieties. In American English, it is strongly associated with the phrase 'languish in prison'.
Frequency
Comparable frequency in both varieties; slightly higher in written texts than in everyday speech.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
languish + prepositional phrase (in, for, without)languish + adverbVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “languish in the doldrums”
- “languish on the back burner”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
The project languished due to lack of funding.
Academic
The theory languished in obscurity for decades before being revived.
Everyday
My plants are languishing because I forgot to water them.
Technical
The patient continued to languish despite treatment.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The refugees continue to languish in makeshift camps.
- The bill has been left to languish in committee for months.
American English
- He languished in jail for three years before his trial.
- The team languished at the bottom of the league.
adverb
British English
- She gazed languishingly out of the window.
- The proposal was languishingly slow to progress.
American English
- He smiled languishingly, remembering better days.
- The stock price fell languishingly throughout the quarter.
adjective
British English
- The languishing patient showed little improvement.
- A languishing look crossed her face.
American English
- The languishing economy was a major campaign issue.
- He gave a languishing sigh.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Without sunlight, the flowers began to languish.
- She didn't want her talents to languish unused.
- The political prisoner languished in a cell for a decade.
- The reform bill languished in parliament, never put to a vote.
- The artist's early works languished in obscurity until a critic rediscovered them.
- He languished for her affection, but she remained indifferent.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a LANGUID (slow and relaxed) fish (LANG-U-ISH) slowly wasting away in a tank.
Conceptual Metaphor
LIFE IS A PLANT; to languish is to wilt or wither.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'language' (язык).
- Avoid translating as 'relax' or 'rest' (расслабляться, отдыхать). The core is negative decline/suffering.
- Closer to 'чахнуть', 'томиться', 'влачить жалкое существование'.
Common Mistakes
- Using it to mean 'to relax' (Incorrect: *I languished by the pool all day).
- Using it as a transitive verb (Incorrect: *The heat languished him). It is intransitive.
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'languish' CORRECTLY?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is almost exclusively negative, describing states of decline, neglect, suffering, or yearning.
No, it is an intransitive verb. It does not take a direct object. You languish *in* something, not languish something.
The related noun is 'languor' (a state of tiredness or inertia) or the gerund 'languishing'.
It is more common in written, formal, or literary contexts. In everyday speech, simpler words like 'suffer', 'decline', or 'waste away' are often used instead.