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
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 there are still lingering worries about how long Amazon and Apple will keep movies in theaters before sending them to streaming.
—
Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 9 July 2025
This slight chance of thunderstorms lingers into Wednesday as the upper low passes over the region.
—Ca Wildfire Bot, Sacbee.com, 9 July 2025
The median home in our area now lingers 75 days on the market before a sale, up seven days from last year.
—Jennifer Horton, The Tennessean, 8 July 2025
Temps will peak Wednesday and Thursday this week across most areas, but heat may linger through the weekend across the interior areas.
—Matthew Robinson, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for linger
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 9 July 2025
This slight chance of thunderstorms lingers into Wednesday as the upper low passes over the region.
—Ca Wildfire Bot, Sacbee.com, 9 July 2025
The median home in our area now lingers 75 days on the market before a sale, up seven days from last year.
—Jennifer Horton, The Tennessean, 8 July 2025
Temps will peak Wednesday and Thursday this week across most areas, but heat may linger through the weekend across the interior areas.
—Matthew Robinson, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for linger
Cite this Entry
“Linger.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/linger. Accessed 13 Jul. 2025.
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