1
as in to keep (to)
to give steadfast support to
continued to cling to the old ideas of child rearing long after they had gone out of fashion
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to grip
to have or keep in one's hands
clung to a pole in the subway car to keep from falling as it lurched along
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cling (to)
Verb
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The outbreak of hantavirus on a cruise ship moored off the western coast of Africa is gripping a world primed by recent painful experience to be on edge for the next Covid-19-like event.—
Helen Branswell,
STAT,
7 May 2026 -
As the name indicates, it was intended for wear on boats but wound up being widely adopted by skaters because its deck-gripping qualities proved just as useful for sticking to boards.—
Ian Servantes,
Footwear News,
6 May 2026
Verb
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Some defensive miscues and Pierce’s clutch two-run double in the sixth, though, tied it at 6-6.—
Paul Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
7 May 2026
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The fluid was sold as replacement brake and clutch fluid and distributed through dealers and direct purchasers tied to General Motors and ACDelco supply channels.—
Anthony Thompson,
USA Today,
7 May 2026
Verb
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Participants alternately clenched their toes (rock), spread them apart (paper) and crossed the big toe over the others (scissors).—
Lindsey Leake,
NBC news,
29 Apr. 2026
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The two of them clench in the car, waiting to be let through the border.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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By the second quarter, Philadelphia was done defending him.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
5 May 2026
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Giuliani’s time in office was marked by a crackdown on crime, but race relations eroded as Giuliani defended the police against accusations of bias and brutality.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
4 May 2026
Verb
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Carl Wilson held a lead Tuesday night in the special election for a City Council seat on Manhattan’s West Side against Lindsey Boylan, in what has shaped up as a proxy battle in the ongoing power struggle between Mayor Mamdani and Council Speaker Julie Menin.—
Josephine Stratman,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
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The conspiracy charge holds a maximum sentence of life in federal prison, while the kidnapping charge is punishable by up to 20 years.—
Tess Kenny,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Mikal Bridges grabbed the offensive rebound and threw it out to Jalen Brunson.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
5 May 2026
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The director also grabbed images on the fly, using his iPhone during location scouting to get close-ups of the insects and on set during forest chases.—
Stuart Miller,
Los Angeles Times,
4 May 2026
Verb
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But parents who stood by Chapman on Thursday and more than 1,200 people who’ve signed a petition to save Edward Kelley aren’t ready to see the preschool go just yet.—
Graham Womack
May 3,
Sacbee.com,
3 May 2026
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Video footage shows drivers doing doughnuts with their vehicles, as fireworks were set off with onlookers standing by.—
Rosemary Feitelberg,
Footwear News,
1 May 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Cling (to).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cling%20%28to%29. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
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