languish
/ˈlæŋɡwɪʃ/ · LANG-gwish
Roman Urdu: kamzor padna
ENGLISH MEANING
To become weak, lose vitality, or fall into decline.
Languish describes a gradual loss of strength, health, or spirit, often because of neglect or adverse conditions. It is used for living things, emotions, or even places that are slowly deteriorating. The word carries a slightly poetic tone, making it suitable for literary or descriptive writing.
اردو معنی
لَیَنْگویِش کا مطلب ہے سست ہونا یا توانائی کا کمزور پڑ جانا۔ یہ لفظ عام طور پر کسی چیز یا شخص کی کمزور حالت کی طرف اشارہ کرتا ہے جسے ضرورت کے مطابق خیال نہ رکھا گیا ہو۔ شہر، نباتات یا جذبات کی بات کرتے وقت اسے استعمال کیا جاتا ہے۔ اس کا انداز تھوڑا ادبی اور جذباتی ہوتا ہے۔
WORD ORIGIN & BREAKDOWN
Borrowed from Old French *languir* ‘to be weak, to lag’, which comes from Latin *languēre* ‘to be faint’. The word entered Middle English in the 14th century.
langu-
weak, faint
-ish
to become or be in a state of
SAY IT OUT LOUD - 5 TIMES
LANG-gwish
DAILY LIFE EXAMPLES
The garden began to languish after the summer rains failed.
بارشوں کے نہ آنے کے بعد باغ پست ہونے لگا۔
After months of unemployment, he started to languish emotionally.
کئی ماہ بے روزگاری کے بعد وہ جذباتی طور پر کمزور پڑ گیا۔
The historic theater has been allowed to languish for years.
تاریخی تھیٹر کو سالوں سے پست چھوڑ دیا گیا ہے۔
Without proper irrigation, the crops will languish and yield little.
مناسب آبپاشی کے بغیر فصلیں پست ہو جائیں گی اور کم پیداوار دیں گی۔
✅ SYNONYMS (مترادف)
deteriorate
بگڑنا
wither
مرجھانا
fade
مٹ جانا
❌ ANTONYMS (متضاد)
flourish
پھلنا
thrive
کامیاب رہنا
USE IT WHEN (کب استعمال کریں)
- Describing a plant that is not thriving due to lack of water
- Talking about someone's spirit after repeated setbacks
- Referring to a town or industry that is slowly declining
AVOID WHEN (کب نہ کریں)
- In casual conversation where a simple word like 'sad' or 'weak' is clearer
- When describing acute pain rather than gradual decline
RELATED WORDS - SAME FAMILY
COMMON MISTAKE PAKISTANIS MAKE
WRONG
He languishes the exam.
CORRECT
He languished during the exam.
The verb *languish* is intransitive; it does not take a direct object. Use it with a preposition (in, during) to indicate the period of weakness.
💡 MEMORY TIP (یاد رکھنے کا آسان طریقہ)
Picture a lazy cat named *Lang* who *g-wish* to stay still—Lang *languish* in the sun.
ایک سست بلی کا تصور کریں جس کا نام *لینگ* ہے اور وہ دھوپ میں سُست سُست پڑی ہوئی ہے—یہ بلی *لَیَنْگویِش* کرتی ہے۔
QUICK QUIZ — TEST YOURSELF
What does 'languish' most closely mean in the sentence: "The old library began to languish after the new digital archive opened"?
TODAY'S CHALLENGE
Write a short paragraph (3-4 sentences) describing a place or person that began to languish and suggest one step to revive it.
Posted on July 22, 2026 · Word Meaning in Urdu