cling

1 of 2

verb

clung ˈkləŋ How to pronounce cling (audio) ; clinging

intransitive verb

1
a
: to hold together
b
: to adhere as if glued firmly
The shirt clung to his wet shoulders.
c
: to hold or hold on tightly or tenaciously
The kitten clung to the narrow branch.
2
a
: to have a strong emotional attachment or dependence
he clung to his friends for support
b
: to remain or linger as if resisting complete spreading or scattering
The odor clung to the room for hours.
clinger noun

cling

2 of 2

noun

plural clings
1
: an act or instance of clinging : adherence
2
3
: a sheet of material (such as plastic or vinyl) designed to adhere to a flat surface by static electricity and often printed with an image or message
When it's time for a new look, simply peel off the clings and store them away for another day.Lorna Hordos
Choose the Right Synonym for cling

stick, adhere, cohere, cling, cleave mean to become closely attached.

stick implies attachment by affixing or by being glued together.

couldn't get the label to stick

adhere is often interchangeable with stick but sometimes implies a growing together.

antibodies adhering to a virus

cohere suggests a sticking together of parts so that they form a unified mass.

eggs will make the mixture cohere

cling implies attachment by hanging on with arms or tendrils.

clinging to a capsized boat

cleave stresses strength of attachment.

the wet shirt cleaved to his back

Examples of cling in a Sentence

Verb The children clung together under the little umbrella waiting for the storm to pass. a dozen magnets clinging to the refrigerator Noun for certain types of materials that plastic wrap has very little cling
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
The sycamore tree at Gulley Park was chosen by the city's Urban Forestry staff and the Urban Forestry Advisory Board due to its size, location and roots clinging to the stream bank. Nwa Democrat-Gazette, arkansasonline.com, 13 Mar. 2024 And the glamour of a genuine Hollywood star still clings to her, giving her Catwoman a romantic glow. Tom Gliatto, Peoplemag, 9 Mar. 2024 Instead, Muir clung to the belief that Stanford would somehow morph into a contender under Haase when there was zero evidence to suggest that would be the case. Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2024 Riyad clings to a glimmer of optimism, praying for prosperity and dignity to illuminate those in Gaza. Jose R. Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 8 Mar. 2024 Raveendran is clinging to power; Byju’s has argued that shareholders don’t have enough voting rights to enact a leadership change, and the matter is headed to court. Pallavi Pundir, Fortune Asia, 1 Mar. 2024 This irrational preference can lead investors to cling to losing investments in the hope of a rebound, often exacerbating poor performance. Dan Irvine, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 Residue of that bitterness clings to this history, outlasting many of the players in question. Michelle Orange, The New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2024 After relocating to the forest and experiencing the havoc of a devastating flood, Veeru still clings to hope. Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 28 Feb. 2024
Noun
And in a documentary film about his role in helping Mr. Trump remain in power after losing the 2020 election, Mr. Stone was caught on camera laying out plans to create and exploit uncertainty about the election results to help Mr. Trump cling to power. Luke Broadwater, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2024 Businesses listed on the registry will also get official branding in the form of window clings and promotion on official city websites, such as on an online registry. Frank Shyong, Los Angeles Times, 13 Dec. 2023 This window cling set comes with six sheets featuring maple leaves and pine cones. Erica Reagle, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Oct. 2023 In the world of window clings, this one has a leg up on the rest. Sarah Wolf Halverson, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Sep. 2023 To deactivate the cling, swipe a dryer sheet on the problem surface areas. Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 5 Sep. 2023 The palace and the military cling to each other ever more tightly and rule ever less competently, a political alliance in obvious decline but incapable of either retreat or reform. Andrew J. Nathan, Foreign Affairs, 24 Aug. 2021 The materials include posters, window clings, magnets, social media graphics and logos, and a pre-arrival letter disseminated to rental agencies. John Sharp | Jsharp@al.com, al, 15 July 2023 With the feature, shoppers can see how an item would drape, fold, cling, stretch or form wrinkles and shadows on a diverse set of models in various poses, according to the company. Samantha Kelly, CNN, 14 June 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cling.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English, from Old English clingan; akin to Old High German klunga tangled ball of thread

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

circa 1625, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cling was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near cling

Cite this Entry

“Cling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cling. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

cling

verb
ˈkliŋ
clung
ˈkləŋ
; clinging
ˈkliŋ-iŋ
1
: to stick to as if glued
2
: to hold or hold on tightly
clung desperately to the ladder
3
: to remain close : be dependent
clings to the family

More from Merriam-Webster on cling

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