as in residual
still existing or happening after something is completed or removed
The area is still feeling the lingering effects of the hurricane. There are lingering questions about the extent of his involvement in the crime.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
as in delaying
to move or act slowly
since they were charging by the hour, the house painters lingered in finishing up their work
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of lingering
C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 4 Feb. 2026
On the one hand, that means that many survive the disease without serious lingering effects.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 18 Dec. 2025
David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 31 Mar. 2026
In our present moment, as the production and consumption of hot takes continues to accelerate, there is a powerful form of resistance to be found in lingering with the unfamiliar, in offering attention without the promise of a quick take-away.
—Literary Hub, 31 Mar. 2026
Ivey managed to play only four games for the Bulls following his acquisition at the trade deadline before he was sidelined (and ultimately shut down) for a lingering knee injury.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026
Today the sun is pale, the sky milky, and there’s a lingering winter chill in the air.
—Lanie Goodman, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Mar. 2026
Transportation costs, labor expenses, climate‑related disruptions, and lingering supply chain issues continue to shape prices across the grocery aisle.
—Amanda Greenwood, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
Just about any thick, flavorful sauce will work with this technique, but the lingering heat and sweet backbone of the black pepper sauce below pairs particularly well with pork chops.
—Kate Williams, AJC.com, 30 Mar. 2026
Sean Manaea’s lagging velocity is a real worry Manaea’s fastball velocity was still lingering around 88 to 89 mph in his relief appearance for the Mets on Sunday.
—Tim Britton, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2026
Everything seemed mostly normal, aside from my lingering symptoms and nagging intuition that something was off with my body.
—Jillian Wager, Glamour, 30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
Thomas missed 57 games last season, mostly because of the same lingering left hamstring issue.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 4 Feb. 2026
On the one hand, that means that many survive the disease without serious lingering effects.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 18 Dec. 2025
Verb
The primary suite is described as storage-rich and spa-like, with multiple closets and a bath built for lingering.
—David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 31 Mar. 2026
In our present moment, as the production and consumption of hot takes continues to accelerate, there is a powerful form of resistance to be found in lingering with the unfamiliar, in offering attention without the promise of a quick take-away.
—Literary Hub, 31 Mar. 2026
Ivey managed to play only four games for the Bulls following his acquisition at the trade deadline before he was sidelined (and ultimately shut down) for a lingering knee injury.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026
Today the sun is pale, the sky milky, and there’s a lingering winter chill in the air.
—Lanie Goodman, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Mar. 2026
Transportation costs, labor expenses, climate‑related disruptions, and lingering supply chain issues continue to shape prices across the grocery aisle.
—Amanda Greenwood, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
Just about any thick, flavorful sauce will work with this technique, but the lingering heat and sweet backbone of the black pepper sauce below pairs particularly well with pork chops.
—Kate Williams, AJC.com, 30 Mar. 2026
Sean Manaea’s lagging velocity is a real worry Manaea’s fastball velocity was still lingering around 88 to 89 mph in his relief appearance for the Mets on Sunday.
—Tim Britton, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2026
Everything seemed mostly normal, aside from my lingering symptoms and nagging intuition that something was off with my body.
—Jillian Wager, Glamour, 30 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lingering
Adjective
-
Even weakening storms or residual electrical activity can keep a launch grounded.—
Brandi D. Addison,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
-
How much residual money is Radiohead making from this show?—
Emma Specter,
Vogue,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The chamber is set to leave Washington for a two-week recess at the end of this week, but Thune has not ruled out delaying the break if the shutdown is not resolved.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The driver was booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and obstructing or delaying an officer, police said.—
Sydney Barragan,
Oc Register,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
An existential crisis for TSA Months of turmoil and funding whiplash may have lasting effects on TSA’s ability to recruit and retain workers, McNeill told lawmakers this week.—
Elizabeth Wolfe,
CNN Money,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Her kindness and devotion to others left a lasting impact.—
Tony Aiello,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But right now, while the press is still bad and the lawsuits are still dragging, sellers should take a breath.—
Matthew Sedacca,
Curbed,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The SaaSpocalypse, ultimately, was a knee-jerk, existential reaction to where AI is (slowly, in many contexts) dragging the tech stack.—
Allie Garfinkle,
Fortune,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But rather than big Hawaiian swells, these waves were the crashing sounds of social media users poking fun at the look of the upcoming Disney film.—
Angelique Jackson,
Variety,
26 Mar. 2026
-
His father came around the corner in time to see his arms poking up above the rim, a cartoon character in need of rescue.—
Eric Boodman,
Vulture,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Maritime trade is crawling at Georgia’s ports, but the state authority that operates the nation’s third-busiest cargo terminals isn’t throttling back its expansion efforts.—
Adam Van Brimmer,
AJC.com,
24 Mar. 2026
-
An unusually strong high pressure system in the middle to upper levels of the atmosphere has been crawling across the southwestern United States in the past day or so, forecasters said.—
Roberto Villalpando,
Austin American Statesman,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The technology is sweeping almost every profession while also creeping into people’s personal lives, sometimes with devastating consequences.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Her works explored Oedipal urges and creeping fascism.—
Laura Regensdorf,
Vogue,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lingering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lingering. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
