cling (to)

verb

Definition of cling (to)next
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

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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)
  1. defend
  2. grip
  3. hold to
  4. clutch
  5. stand by
  6. clench
  7. hold
  8. grab
Verb
  • Trump proceeded to defend the White House renovation for an additional five-odd minutes before delivering Obama a message directly.
    — Christian Datoc, The Washington Examiner, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Egypt's president sought to reassure the public that the country wouldn't attack Yemen, and that the military support is limited to defending Saudi territory.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of defend
Verb
  • And the dynamic in the candidates’ race to capture swing voters reflects the national debate gripping both parties about how moderate to be.
    — Justine McDaniel, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
  • If presented with something to grip, even unconsciously, many jaws will.
    — Alessandra Codinha, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of grip
Verb
  • Reese, Naz Hilman and Madina Okot were held to 28 points combined with Okot scoring 16 – mostly in the fourth quarter.
    — Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 25 June 2026
  • After scoring 14 runs to begin this four-game series, the Royals have been held to just five runs in their last 18 innings.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 25 June 2026
Definition of hold to
Verb
  • The doctor wears a Star of David necklace and, in a pivotal scene in the show’s first season, clutches it while reciting the Shema, a central Jewish prayer, during an emotional crisis.
    — Andrew Silow-Carroll, Sun Sentinel, 27 Oct. 2026
  • A little boy sitting quietly, clutching a photocopy of his mother’s ID card.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of clutch
Verb
  • The title track showcases piano while Bowen laments the friends and family who stood by him throughout his career.
    — Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 25 Oct. 2026
  • And an intertitle card at the end of the film says Fielder and his co-director Lance Oppenheim were able to reach The New York Times journalist, who stood by her reporting but also did not provide evidence of the quote.
    — Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of stand by
Verb
  • Parents rushing to a reunification center, hearts clenched with the hope of finding their children among the survivors.
    — Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026
  • On the second, more attentive read, my toes and fingers started to clench.
    — Andrew Lipstein, New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of clench
Verb
  • Until now, Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele has insisted the men were still alive and being held by gangs.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The Boise State defense also produced a turnover-on-downs in the final minutes, batting away several shots at the end zone to hold the Cougars to 10 points.
    — Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of hold
Verb
  • Finally, grab 32% off the Eufy E340 Security Video Doorbell with Chime, providing dual 2K cameras and color night vision.
    — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 26 Oct. 2026
  • James scored 18 points, grabbed two rebounds and was a minus-22 going up against Paul Reed, and the 76ers were left to hope his presence at center was nothing more than a cameo.
    — Dan Gelston, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of grab
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.

Browse Nearby Words

clings (to)
cling (to)
clingy
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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 28 Oct. 2026.

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