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
-
The male wolf, named Neukgu, burrowed out of his enclosure at the O-World zoo in Daejeon on April 8, prompting a search that gripped the nation and raised fears about his safety.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Apr. 2026 -
Video footage shows motorists in the southeast African country of Mozambique waiting for hours at fuel stations as shortages grip the country, with lines of traffic stretching for blocks and drivers traveling between multiple stations in search of petrol or diesel.—
Yarden Segev,
NBC news,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Flowers surrounded the baby girl's tiny casket inside the Lawrence Woodward Funeral Home in Crown Heights, as family members clutched each other and said their final goodbyes.—
Naveen Dhaliwal,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Such desperate attempts at grandiosity evoke empty vanity, clutching at physical monuments to prove a greatness that history has not yet conferred.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Fortune,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The two of them clench in the car, waiting to be let through the border.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
13 Apr. 2026
-
May watched, jaw clenched, arms crossed, eyes glassy.—
Justin Williams,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In 2014, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s administration reinterpreted Article 9 to allow Japan’s Self-Defense Forces to more actively contribute to international peacekeeping efforts and defend allies.—
Sam Meredith,Lim Hui Jie,
CNBC,
21 Apr. 2026
-
The Cubs will visit Dodger Stadium this weekend for a three-game series against the two-time defending World Series champions.—
Patrick Mooney,
New York Times,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Braves, already holding an early advantage atop their division, have in-season reinforcements on the way.—
Gabriel Burns,
AJC.com,
22 Apr. 2026
-
The Senate Banking Committee is set to hold a confirmation hearing for Warsh on Tuesday.—
Joe Walsh,
CBS News,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
At one point, one of his attackers grab’s Pierre’s hoodie and throws him to the ground.—
Kerry Burke,
New York Daily News,
21 Apr. 2026
-
The cat lunged, grabbed Bender’s arm, and just as quickly, the hunter shook it off, and the animal bolted.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The mom-to-be smiled down at her husband in one photo, and was pictured standing by herself outside in a few others.—
Kayla Grant,
PEOPLE,
20 Apr. 2026
-
His endorsers in the Pennsylvania House race stand by him.—
Dan Merica,
Washington Post,
20 Apr. 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Cling (to).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cling%20%28to%29. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
