languish
languishes
languishing
languished
Languish means to lose strength or remain in an unpleasant state. Regular verb: languish-languished-languished.
Meanings
- To lose vitality
- To suffer neglect
- To pine with longing
Common Collocations
languish in prison
languish in obscurity
languish for years
left to languish
Tip for Learners
Languish suggests suffering neglect. "The project languished for months without funding."
Present Simple
| I | languish |
| you | languish |
| he/she/it | languishes |
| we | languish |
| they | languish |
Examples - Present Simple
- I languish in this cubicle dreaming of adventure.
- You languish in indecision when action is needed.
- She languishes in obscurity despite her immense talent.
- We languish in mediocrity without challenging ourselves.
- They languish in poverty due to systemic inequalities.
Present Continuous
| I | am languishing |
| you | are languishing |
| he/she/it | is languishing |
| we | are languishing |
| they | are languishing |
Examples - Present Continuous
- I am languishing without any creative stimulation.
- You are languishing in a job that doesn't fulfill you.
- He is languishing in prison for a crime he didn't commit.
- We are languishing without proper leadership.
- They are languishing in bureaucratic limbo.
Present Perfect
| I | have languished |
| you | have languished |
| he/she/it | has languished |
| we | have languished |
| they | have languished |
Examples - Present Perfect
- I have languished too long in this dead-end position.
- You have languished in uncertainty for far too long.
- She has languished in that hospital for months.
- We have languished without direction for years.
- They have languished at the bottom of the league.
Present Perfect Continuous
| I | have been languishing |
| you | have been languishing |
| he/she/it | has been languishing |
| we | have been languishing |
| they | have been languishing |
Examples - Present Perfect Continuous
- I have been languishing in this role for too long.
- You have been languishing without purpose lately.
- He has been languishing in detention for months.
- We have been languishing without progress all year.
- They have been languishing in last place all season.
Past Simple
| I | languished |
| you | languished |
| he/she/it | languished |
| we | languished |
| they | languished |
Examples - Past Simple
- I languished in that boring job for five years.
- You languished in silence when you should have spoken up.
- She languished in the hospital bed for weeks.
- We languished in obscurity before our breakthrough.
- They languished at the back of the pack for years.
Past Continuous
| I | was languishing |
| you | were languishing |
| he/she/it | was languishing |
| we | were languishing |
| they | were languishing |
Examples - Past Continuous
- I was languishing when the opportunity finally came.
- You were languishing in despair before the good news.
- He was languishing in prison when the appeal succeeded.
- We were languishing without resources before the grant.
- They were languishing in last place before the turnaround.
Past Perfect
| I | had languished |
| you | had languished |
| he/she/it | had languished |
| we | had languished |
| they | had languished |
Examples - Past Perfect
- I had languished for years before finding my passion.
- You had languished in that role before getting promoted.
- She had languished in obscurity before being discovered.
- We had languished without direction before the new leader.
- They had languished at the bottom before the new coach.
Past Perfect Continuous
| I | had been languishing |
| you | had been languishing |
| he/she/it | had been languishing |
| we | had been languishing |
| they | had been languishing |
Examples - Past Perfect Continuous
- I had been languishing for years before the change came.
- You had been languishing in mediocrity before the breakthrough.
- He had been languishing in custody for months before trial.
- We had been languishing without hope before the rescue.
- They had been languishing in decline for a decade.
Future Simple
| I | will languish |
| you | will languish |
| he/she/it | will languish |
| we | will languish |
| they | will languish |
Examples - Future Simple
- I will languish here no longer and will make a change.
- You will languish if you don't take control of your life.
- She will languish in that role without advancement.
- We will languish without innovation in this market.
- They will languish at the bottom without new investment.
Future Continuous
| I | will be languishing |
| you | will be languishing |
| he/she/it | will be languishing |
| we | will be languishing |
| they | will be languishing |
Examples - Future Continuous
- I will be languishing no more after I make this move.
- You will be languishing if you stay in that situation.
- He will be languishing in that cell for years to come.
- We will be languishing without changes to the system.
- They will be languishing behind competitors indefinitely.
Future Perfect
| I | will have languished |
| you | will have languished |
| he/she/it | will have languished |
| we | will have languished |
| they | will have languished |
Examples - Future Perfect
- I will have languished here for a decade by next year.
- You will have languished too long by the time you act.
- She will have languished in obscurity for too many years.
- We will have languished without progress for too long.
- They will have languished at the bottom for a full season.
Future Perfect Continuous
| I | will have been languishing |
| you | will have been languishing |
| he/she/it | will have been languishing |
| we | will have been languishing |
| they | will have been languishing |
Examples - Future Perfect Continuous
- I will have been languishing for five years by then.
- You will have been languishing in that role for too long.
- He will have been languishing in prison for a decade.
- We will have been languishing without change for years.
- They will have been languishing in decline for too long.