cling

verb \ ˈkliŋ \

Updated on: 19 Apr 2018

Definition of cling

clung play \ˈkləŋ\; 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

play \ˈkliŋ-ər\ noun

—

clingy

play \ˈkliŋ-ē\ adjective

See cling defined for English-language learners

See cling defined for kids

Examples of cling in a Sentence

The children clung together under the little umbrella waiting for the storm to pass.
a dozen magnets clinging to the refrigerator

Recent Examples of cling from the Web

These are words that evoke refugees past, images of other populations who clung to the hope that one day their fate would change.

— arwa damon and gul tuysuz, CNN, "Survivors of a chemical attack in Syria tell their stories for the first time," 15 Apr. 2018
The hard-throwing right-hander walked one batter and struck out a career-best eight after entering the game with two on, one out and USA clinging to a 2-1 lead in the fourth.

— creg stephenson, AL.com, "South Alabama baseball sweeps two from Georgia Southern," 13 Apr. 2018
That’s especially true in the Senate, where Republicans are clinging to a fractious, 51-49 majority.

— Fortune, "How President Trump Could Imperil His Presidency by Firing Robert Mueller," 12 Apr. 2018
Some disappeared their whole bodies into the ball water for a photo, even though many of the balls had other peoples’ hair static-clinging to them.

— kelly conaboy, Bon Appetit, "One Woman’s Search for Meaning Inside The Egg House, a Pop-Up “Experience”," 10 Apr. 2018
Video shows Whitnum clinging to a table as police approach her.

— sandra gomez-aceves, courant.com, "Lee Whitnum, Dragged Off Debate Stage, Had Shown Up Uninvited Before," 10 Apr. 2018
Police in Florida have released dramatic footage of the moment one officer was dragged for over half a mile clinging to a car door.

— Houston Chronicle, "Bellaire Police Department report," 9 Apr. 2018
In terms of what to wear with your collection of form-fitting sweaters, pick trousers that skim over your quads instead of clinging to them.

— megan gustashaw, GQ, "The Rock Knows How to Dress If You Never Skip Bicep Day," 4 Apr. 2018
Mud clinging to their boots, the couple pour hay into several troughs in fields tucked among the rolling green hills of the Vosges region in eastern France.

— colette davidson, The Christian Science Monitor, "France's wolves are back. Now, can it protect its farmers?," 4 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cling.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of cling

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

See Words from the same year

cling Synonyms

Synonyms

adhere, cleave, hew, stick;

Near Antonyms

loosen;

drop, fall;

Synonym Discussion of 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

cling

noun

Definition of cling

plural clings

1 : an act or instance of clinging : adherence

2 : clingstone

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

Examples of cling in a Sentence

for certain types of materials that plastic wrap has very little cling

Recent Examples of cling from the Web

An estimated 40,000 members of the ethnic minority cling to the belief that everything vital in the world originates from a woman, earning the region the nickname Kingdom of Daughters.

— jason motlagh, Marie Claire, "Kingdom of Women," 18 Jan. 2018
The idea later resulted in a bridal collection of minimalist, no-frills wedding slips with a simple silhouette and carefree cling, complete with adjustable pearl-fastened straps.

— liana satenstein, Vogue, "Need a Wedding Dress and Pajamas? Sleeper Is the One-Stop Shop for Both," 5 Feb. 2018
Pickled mustard greens are essential, the tang offsetting the velvet cling of liquid fat.

— New York Times, "At Happy Stony Noodle, a Childhood Favorite Anchors the Menu," 25 Jan. 2018
The clings are meant to be peeled off after the party and reused at the next event.

— bonnie mccarthy, latimes.com, "Keep track of your cocktails with drink charms and markers," 16 Dec. 2017
Keith’s chill delivery begets rapid rhymes that hang among the bells and whistles and clings and clangs of the arcade’s vintage machines.

— kevin warwick, Chicago Reader, "Hip-hop alien Kool Keith again invades Logan Arcade for his annual X-mas extravaganza," 15 Dec. 2017
One simple and inexpensive precaution is a window cling that alerts first responders that a pet is inside the home.

— kelly mcbride, Cincinnati.com, "Vet clinic reaches out to pet owners who can't afford care," 27 June 2017
Customers station themselves at the table, the windowsill or a low shelf, each set with a saltshaker and an enormous bottle of Valentina hot sauce, which brings good cling, upfront heat and a citrus coda.

— ligaya mishan, New York Times, "A Shrimp Cocktail With a Jumbo Jolt, at La Esquina in Queens," 4 May 2017
The walls, curiously, have been carefully covered with fresh plastic cling wrap—like a serial killer would prepare his basement—to catch flying fish scales and for faster, easier cleanup.

— adam davidson, The New Yorker, "Anthony Bourdain’s Moveable Feast," 13 Feb. 2017