cling

verb \ ˈkliŋ \

|Updated on: 8 Aug 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Examples: cling in a Sentence

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

As with any mother of a missing child, Susan still clings to hope that one day Lelia will appear.

— malik johnson, NBC News, "Parents of Lelia Faulkner still searching for daughter two years after her disappearance.," 8 July 2018
Hartford Senior Legion Baseball’s Israel Crespo clung to the dugout railing and waved his hands in the air, and sang along to the tune often associated with baseball.

— shawn mcfarland, courant.com, "Hartford, Glastonbury Legion Teams Meet At Dunkin Donuts Park," 3 July 2018
And a little something to cling to when things look so bleak with the parent club.

— vahe gregorian, kansascity, "With a knack for the spectacular, precocious Khalil Lee is moving up rapidly in Royals system," 28 June 2018
Her bright blouse and pants clung to her thick, hourglass figure.

— aya de leon, The Root, "The Takedown," 22 Apr. 2018
America, increasingly alone among nations, still clings, eyes shut tight, to the dirty past.

— david roberts, Vox, "The Netherlands contemplates the world’s toughest climate law," 6 July 2018
The dynamic of leaders' wives, themselves sometimes desperate to cling to power as things go awry, and some with political ambitions of their own, has been a prevalent one in modern history.

— Fox News, "Sara Netanyahu preceded by avarice of other first wives," 22 June 2018
The dynamic of leaders’ wives, themselves sometimes desperate to cling to power as things go awry, and some with political ambitions of their own, has been a prevalent one in modern history.

— Washington Post, "Sara Netanyahu preceded by avarice of other first wives," 21 June 2018
His shirt clung sopping to his back, and with each gust he was nearly robbed of breath.

— earl swift, Outside Online, "The Incredible True Story of the Henrietta C.," 20 June 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

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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