cling 1 of 2

as in adhesion
a physical sticking to as if by glue for certain types of materials that plastic wrap has very little cling

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

cling

2 of 2

verb

as in to adhere
to hold to something firmly as if by adhesion a dozen magnets clinging to the refrigerator

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb cling contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of cling are adhere, cleave, cohere, and stick. While all these words mean "to become closely attached," cling implies attachment by hanging on with arms or tendrils.

clinging to a capsized boat

When can adhere be used instead of cling?

The words adhere and cling can be used in similar contexts, but adhere is often interchangeable with stick but sometimes implies a growing together.

antibodies adhering to a virus

In what contexts can cleave take the place of cling?

While in some cases nearly identical to cling, cleave stresses strength of attachment.

the wet shirt cleaved to his back

When could cohere be used to replace cling?

While the synonyms cohere and cling are close in meaning, cohere suggests a sticking together of parts so that they form a unified mass.

eggs will make the mixture cohere

Where would stick be a reasonable alternative to cling?

In some situations, the words stick and cling are roughly equivalent. However, stick implies attachment by affixing or by being glued together.

couldn't get the label to stick

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 cling
Noun
The smell of hot cereal and damp earth clings low in the air. Brad Japhe, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025 The ego clings to likes, views, and applause just to feel whole. Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2025
Verb
The companies and funds that act with courage now will be remembered as bold and pioneering, versus as a group that clung to short-term safety. Melissa Jun Rowley, Rolling Stone, 1 Oct. 2025 An offense that looked broken roared to life, building an 8-0 lead and creating enough cushion even for the Dodgers’ leaky bullpen to cling onto. Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cling
Noun
  • Overcoming adhesion challenges A significant hurdle is ensuring strong adhesion of the decorative films on both PV glass modules and metal facade elements.
    Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 2 Sep. 2025
  • This colour is applied using a Cerakote ceramic coating over titanium, chosen for its strong adhesion, thermal stability and resistance to wear.
    Matthew Catellier, Forbes.com, 29 July 2025
Verb
  • But the kitchen, overseen by Curtola along with the chef de cuisine Ben Zook, seems more interested in conjuring an authenticity of atmosphere than in adhering strictly to traditional recipes or preparations.
    Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2025
  • But the vote by the CDC’s advisory committee carries additional implications for vaccine access since some states adhere closely to its recommendations.
    Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 19 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Labor In a section of the report focused on workers’ rights and safety, the NCP reiterates its gripes about lack of supplier audit documentation and adherence to local law rather than international standards.
    Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 1 Oct. 2025
  • When Seedance and Seedream came out, his team conducted internal testing to compare their prompt adherence, image quality, speed, and cost to American competitors.
    Andrew R. Chow, Time, 1 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Investors and economists are stuck looking to other sources of data for information about the economy.
    John Towfighi, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2025
  • In the meantime, borrowers stuck in the backlog may not be making progress toward loan forgiveness, either under the terms of an IDR plan or through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.
    Annie Nova, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The result of skilled labor, universities, banks and existing industry bonding together becomes clear in many ways, including, of course, a top layer of entrepreneurs and capitalists owning and deploying billions of Swiss Francs.
    Peter Vanham, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Additional revelations hint of Kiri's evolving powers, the menacing Quaritch bonding with Varang to help defeat the Na'vi, a spectacular air/sea clash between the Ash People, the RDA, and the Na’vi, and Spider threatening to kill someone offscreen.
    Jeff Spry, Space.com, 1 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Cling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cling. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.

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