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Definition of cling
clung
play \ˈkləŋ\;clinging
intransitive verb
1a : to hold togetherb : 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.
2a : to have a strong emotional attachment or dependence he clung to his friends for supportb : to remain or linger as if resisting complete spreading or scattering The odor clung to the room for hours.
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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
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And then, in the 85th minute, with the Sounders clinging to a one-goal lead and the Rapids pressing for the equalizer, Dempsey ran down a ball and artfully hoisted a left-footer over leaping Colorado goalkeeper Tim Howard from the top of the box.
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Younger right-hander Jose Leclerc, on the mound with two outs in the eighth and the Rangers clinging to a one-run lead, was taken deep by Yolmer Sanchez for a go-ahead two-run homer to give the Chicago White Sox a 6-5 victory.
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Carefully inspect tree trunks before touching them since poison ivy often clings to them.
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Insect repellents may work to deter foraging fire ants from clinging to you, but are unlikely to be effective if the ants are defending their colony.
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With sand still clinging to your feet and salt spray in your hair, meander past colorful boutiques, old-time markets, art galleries and street performers.
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May was still clinging to power after Thursday’s snap election in which her Conservative Party unexpectedly lost its parliamentary majority.
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Ryan O'Connell scored twice in the first three minutes of the second quarter before Palumbo buried his second to send the game into halftime, with New Canaan clinging to a 4-3 lead before opening the second half with two goals from Richard Magnus.
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Based on the earlier age estimates, scientists had always viewed these people as a primitive group of humans who were clinging on in North Africa while their more modern cousins were sweeping out of the East.
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
Synonym Discussion of cling
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
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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.
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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.
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
see 1cling
CLING Defined for English Language Learners
cling
playDefinition of cling for English Language Learners
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: to hold onto something or someone very tightly
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: to stay very close to someone for emotional support, protection, etc.
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: to stick to something or someone
CLING Defined for Kids
cling
playDefinition of cling for Students
clung
\ˈkləŋ\;clinging
1 : to hold fast by grasping or winding around To avoid falling, cling to the railing.
2 : to remain close He clings to the family.
3 : to hold fast or stick closely to a surface These wet socks are clinging to my feet.
4 : to continue to believe in We clung to the hope that we'd be rescued.
Learn More about cling
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See words that rhyme with cling Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for cling Spanish Central: Translation of cling Nglish: Translation of cling for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of cling for Arabic speakers
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