What does languished mean?
Languished is the past tense of languish, a verb describing a state of weakness, decline, or prolonged suffering. It can refer to a person, organization, place, or thing losing vitality, as when a business languished because of poor management or an old building languished after years of neglect. In a more emotional sense, to languish for someone means to feel a powerful, often long-lasting longing for that person or place. The word has a literary, slightly old-fashioned tone and is more evocative than a simple verb such as weakened or declined. Its historical connection with physical weakness gives even its figurative uses a sense of slow fading, endurance, and emotional intensity. It is especially useful when describing a lingering condition rather than a brief setback.
verbTo become weak, inactive, or diminished in strength or vitality. It can also mean to suffer patiently or to yearn for someone or something.
- To become weak, less active, or less vigorous.
- To suffer under a difficult or painful condition.
- To yearn or long for someone or something.
"After years away from the stage, the singer languished in obscurity before rediscovering a devoted audience."
"The small business languished during the prolonged downturn before new investment revived it."
"She languished for years in a distant city, longing for the life she had left behind."
To languish is to be held in a state of weakness or longing—an old word for a feeling that can feel both physical and emotional.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of languished
The word comes from the Latin verb languere, meaning “to be weak” or “to be faint,” and its related forms have long been used in English for both physical weakness and emotional longing. The Old French word langueisier helped introduce the Anglo-French form, which developed into modern English languish. Its relatives include languid, meaning weak or listless, and languor, meaning lassitude or dreamy melancholy. The word’s history therefore links bodily debility and prolonged yearning within a single image of fading strength or vitality.
Related word forms
How languished is actually used
Languished is literary and often conveys prolonged weakness, suffering, or emotional yearning. It may sound dramatic or old-fashioned in ordinary conversation.
Easily confused with languished
Languished describes an action or process of weakness, decline, or yearning, whereas languid is an adjective describing a person or thing that feels listless or sluggish.