lingered; lingering
ˈliŋ-g(ə-)riŋ 
1
: to be slow in parting or in quitting something : tarry
fans lingered outside the door
2
a
: to remain existent although often waning in strength, importance, or influence
lingering doubts
lingering odors
b
: to remain alive although gradually dying
was seriously ill, but lingered on for several months
3
: to be slow to act : procrastinate
He lingered in settling the estate in order to increase his fees.
4
: to move slowly : saunter
lingering homeward
Synonyms
Examples of linger in a Sentence
The tourists didn't linger very long.
She lingered at the art exhibit.
He lingered in bed and missed breakfast.
They lingered over coffee after dinner.
The heat lingered long after the sun had gone down.
The smell of her perfume lingered.
The idea lingered in their minds.
Recent Examples on the Web
But Sui also acknowledges the influence of fairytales, fashion literature, and punk music on her worldview, citing books of photos and works of nonfiction that have lingered in her psyche.
—
Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 16 Apr. 2024
But while Raye’s rising star is blazing, there are so many experiences from throughout her career as a songwriter that linger and plague her peers in the art form.
—Delisa Shannon, Rolling Stone, 15 Apr. 2024
The most important component in fossil fuel pollution is gaseous sulfur dioxide, which forms aerosols in the atmosphere that linger for mere days.
—Matt Simon, WIRED, 15 Apr. 2024
Although the heaviest rain has ended, lingering high water in a few places may continue into the morning hours Friday.
—Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 12 Apr. 2024
After months of coming down steadily, that inflation gauge has lingered just under 4 percent since December.
—Jeanna Smialek, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2024
Redefining Retirement: Strategies for Baby Boomers The Baby Boomer generation is redefining the retirement landscape, with many lingering in the workforce longer than previous cohorts.
—Ebony Flake, Essence, 11 Apr. 2024
Still, even as the storylines linger too long in less exciting places, viewers are eager to see how the varied mysteries and secrets of the surface and the dwellers will reveal themselves.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 10 Apr. 2024
Another lingering question is whether COMAC is up to the challenge of scaling up production if demand grows.
—Byprarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 8 Apr. 2024
Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 16 Apr. 2024
But while Raye’s rising star is blazing, there are so many experiences from throughout her career as a songwriter that linger and plague her peers in the art form.
—Delisa Shannon, Rolling Stone, 15 Apr. 2024
The most important component in fossil fuel pollution is gaseous sulfur dioxide, which forms aerosols in the atmosphere that linger for mere days.
—Matt Simon, WIRED, 15 Apr. 2024
Although the heaviest rain has ended, lingering high water in a few places may continue into the morning hours Friday.
—Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 12 Apr. 2024
After months of coming down steadily, that inflation gauge has lingered just under 4 percent since December.
—Jeanna Smialek, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2024
Redefining Retirement: Strategies for Baby Boomers The Baby Boomer generation is redefining the retirement landscape, with many lingering in the workforce longer than previous cohorts.
—Ebony Flake, Essence, 11 Apr. 2024
Still, even as the storylines linger too long in less exciting places, viewers are eager to see how the varied mysteries and secrets of the surface and the dwellers will reveal themselves.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 10 Apr. 2024
Another lingering question is whether COMAC is up to the challenge of scaling up production if demand grows.
—Byprarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 8 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'linger.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near linger
Cite this Entry
“Linger.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/linger. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
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