languishing
Wasting away gradually
Languishing describes a state of losing vitality, momentum, or spirit.
A plant languishes without water; a prisoner languishes in a cell; a project languishes when no one attends to it.
The word suggests prolonged neglect or decline rather than sudden collapse: The bill languished in committee for months.
Someone languishing may also be pining with unmet desire: languishing for her attention.
Becoming less strong
- wiltingLosing turgor and drooping
- witheringDrying and declining
- fadingGradual loss of intensity
- wastingUsing poorly, inefficiently
drooping · flagging · deteriorating · declining · ailing · sickly · frail · feeble
Subdued, lasting sadness
- despondencyProfound loss of hope
- ennuiWeary, listless dissatisfaction
- listlessnessAbsence of energy, enthusiasm
- wistfulnessTender sadness for absence
yearning · pining · longing · sorrow · dejection · gloom · hopelessness · forlorn
Held in custody
- captiveOne held by force
- incarceratedConfined in prison
- trappedUnable to escape
- confinedKept within bounds
detained · jailed · interned · held · suffering · wasting away · rotting · pining
Without movement or progress
- dormantInactive but capable
- idleWithout activity or purpose
- inactiveNot currently functioning
- arrestedSeized by authorities
stuck · suspended · static · moribund · atrophying · unfulfilled · unrealized · on hold
No longer recalled
- abandonedLeft behind completely
- overlookedNot noticed or considered
- disregardedNot given consideration
- unattendedLacking supervision or care
ignored · forsaken · neglected · disused · mothballed · sidelined · shelved · gathering dust
weakening
Becoming less strong
wasting · drooping · flagging · deteriorating · declining · ailing · sickly · frail · feeble · pallid
melancholy
Subdued, lasting sadness
- despondencyProfound loss of hope
- ennuiWeary, listless dissatisfaction
- listlessnessAbsence of energy, enthusiasm
wistfulness · yearning · pining · longing · sorrow · dejection · gloom · hopelessness · forlorn · dispirited
imprisoned
Held in custody
- captiveOne held by force
- incarceratedConfined in prison
- trappedUnable to escape
confined · detained · jailed · interned · held · suffering · wasting away · rotting · pining · awaiting
stagnant
Without movement or progress
arrested · stuck · suspended · static · moribund · atrophying · unfulfilled · unrealized · on hold · in limbo
forgotten
No longer recalled
- abandonedLeft behind completely
- overlookedNot noticed or considered
- disregardedNot given consideration
unattended · ignored · forsaken · neglected · disused · mothballed · sidelined · shelved · gathering dust · left behind
- burnoutburned out, burnt out, burn out, burning out, burnout
- decliningdeclining, waning, fading, diminishing, decreasing
- idlenessdoing nothing, idling, loafing, lounging, lazing
- longingyearning, pining, craving, hankering, wishing
- energy levelsenergetic, energized, hyped, exhausted, fatigued
- existenceexistence, being, lives, reality, life
languishingflourishing
Prospering vigorously
thriving · blooming · prospering · blossoming · burgeoning
language, languid, languor, languish, languished, languorous, languishes, languishment