CLING TO Synonyms: 119 Similar and Opposite Words

cling (to)

verb

Definition of cling (to)

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

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

Skubal also issued two walks and hit a batter with a pitch in just his second career appearance at Dodger Stadium, taking the mound nine days after the defending champions acquired him from Detroit in the biggest trade of the deadline.

— ABC News, ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026
Asked about those changes and the growing scrutiny of the UFW's legacy, Huerta defended the organization's historic work on behalf of farmworkers while acknowledging the controversy surrounding Chavez.

— Darrielle Fair, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of defend

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

Continue reading … ZERO REGRETS – Hasan Piker stands by 'intentionally provocative' claims that Hamas is 'a thousand times better' than Israel.

— , FOXNews.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Hialeah Gardens police officers raced to the burglary 911 calls and found the two men standing by a pickup truck in the area of 8800 Northwest 116th Terrace.

— Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of stand by

Verb

The race to replace Whitmer In the governor’s race, Michigan's secretary of state, Jocelyn Benson, seems poised to clench the Democratic nomination over Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson.

— Diana Paulsen, ABC News, 4 Aug. 2026
Janet held the phone away from her ear, clenching her teeth against Maggie’s booming voice.

— Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 23 July 2026

Definition of clench

Verb

Profanity also grabs attention since the shock value of an F-bomb can lead to more media coverage and clips circulating on social media.

— Jeff Wagner, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
Alice slowly gets Marshall to lie on the floor, grabs the bottle of whiskey, and pours it into his mouth with glee.

— Erin Qualey, Vulture, 10 Aug. 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

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Cling (to).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cling%20%28to%29. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of cling (to)

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

zeugma

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Words of the Week - Aug. 14

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes