How to pronounce languish
Say it like LANG-gwish. Languish has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (LANG).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce languish. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- LANG
- gwish
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Languish pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- LANGSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- gwishKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of languish
American and British speakers say languish in essentially the same way: /ˈlæŋɡwɪʃ/ in the US and /ˈlæŋɡwɪʃ/ in the UK.
British respelling: LANG-gwish.
What does languish mean?
- To lose strength and become weak; to be in a state of weakness or sickness.
- To pine away in longing for something; to have low spirits, especially from lovesickness.“He languished without his girlfriend.”
- To live in miserable or disheartening conditions.“He languished in prison for years.”
Where does languish come from?
: Cognate with slack.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying languish
How do you pronounce languish?
Say LANG-gwish. The American pronunciation is /ˈlæŋɡwɪʃ/. In British English it is /ˈlæŋɡwɪʃ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in languish?
Languish has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (LANG). Broken into parts: LANG · gwish.
Do Americans and Brits say languish the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈlæŋɡwɪʃ/ and the British form is /ˈlæŋɡwɪʃ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.