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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For me thrillers, especially when tinged with horror, are a support structure, to construct stories which are gripping, and which gives you the chance to talk about personal and emotional conflicts which really drive the story, and not just those of the three protagonists.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
25 June 2025 -
In the blurry shot, Bieber can be seen holding his baby son, whose hands are gripping his dad's face.—
Hannah Sacks,
People.com,
24 June 2025
Verb
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Panicked passengers can be seen in the footage clutching onto their masks as a flight attendant makes an announcement.—
Latoya Gayle,
People.com,
1 July 2025
-
Myung-gi turns to look at Gi-hun, who clutches the baby a little closer to his chest.—
Jennifer Zhan,
Vulture,
27 June 2025
Verb
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Hank Willis Thomas’ (b. 1976) monumental bronze raised arm and clenched fist doesn’t require 500 words of wall text to interpret.—
Chadd Scott,
Forbes.com,
22 June 2025
-
Not a market clenched in anticipation of a significant air pocket in growth.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
2 June 2025
Verb
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The medium-to-long-range layer, David’s Sling, has replaced Patriot batteries supplied by the United States, defending against both aircraft, cruise missiles, and short-range ballistic missiles using a missile called Stunner.—
Sebastien Roblin,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
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Thanks to the oceans on either side of us, the frozen wasteland to the north, and a gentle behemoth to the south, no one thought much about having to defend our borders.—
Stephen Marche,
The Atlantic,
1 July 2025
Verb
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Still, since the Open era began in 1968, only Justine Henin in 2005 and Francesca Schiavone in 2010 went from holding the trophy in Paris to exiting immediately in London.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
1 July 2025
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The central bank will hold four rate-setting meetings over the remainder of 2025 – and the first will happen on July 29 and 30.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
1 July 2025
Verb
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My father seemed to crumple a little, shuddering, grabbing the edge of his desk to steady himself.—
Ottessa Moshfegh,
New Yorker,
30 June 2025
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One four-person crew in a 24-foot open-bow MasterCraft grabbed their life jackets, wisely abandoned the boat and swam to shore.—
George Skelton,
Los Angeles Times,
30 June 2025
Verb
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The Trump administration stands by its decision, as does FBI Director Kash Patel.—
Mackenzie Thomas,
The Washington Examiner,
6 July 2025
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But perhaps the most interesting facet of the museum is the volunteers who stand by to answer questions.—
Diana Lambdin Meyer,
USA Today,
5 July 2025
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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 9 Jul. 2025.
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