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Ennui vs Languish - What's the difference?

ennui | languish |

As a noun ennui

is a gripping listlessness or melancholia caused by boredom; depression.

As a verb languish is

to lose strength and become weak; to be in a state of weakness or sickness.

ennui

English

Noun

(-)
  • A gripping listlessness or melancholia caused by boredom; depression.

    • Synonyms

    * (l) * (l) * (l)

    Quotations

    * (English Citations of "ennui")

    languish

    English

    Verb

    (es)
  • To lose strength and become weak; to be in a state of weakness or sickness.
  • * Bible, 2 Esdras viii. 31
    • We do languish of such diseases.
  • 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
  • To be neglected; to make little progress, be unsuccessful.
    • The case languished for years before coming to trial.
  • (obsolete) To make weak; to weaken, devastate.
  • * 1815 , Jane Austen, Emma
    • He is an excellent young man, and will suit Harriet exactly: it will be an "exactly so," as he says himself; but he does sigh and languish , and study for compliments rather more than I could endure as a principal.
    (Tennyson)

    Related terms

    * languid * languor * languorous