Synonyms of cling

cling 1 of 4

noun

as in adhesion

a physical sticking to as if by glue

for certain types of materials that plastic wrap has very little cling

Synonyms & Similar Words

• adhesion
• adherence
• bonding
• adhesiveness
• gluing
• glueing
• attachment
• tenacity
• cohesion
• clumping
• cementing
• agglutination
• cohesiveness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• unsticking

cling

2 of 4

verb (1)

as in to adhere

to hold to something firmly as if by adhesion

a dozen magnets clinging to the refrigerator

Synonyms & Similar Words

• adhere
• stick
• cleave
• glue
• hew
• bind
• unite
• fasten
• cohere
• fuse

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• fall
• loosen
• drop

cling (to)

3 of 4

verb (2)

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

• keep (to)
• stick (to or with)
• adhere (to)
• defend
• hold to
• hew (to)
• stand by
• live up to
• abide by
• accept
• cleave (to)
• cultivate
• follow
• support
• endorse
• adopt
• embrace
• enforce
• advocate
• confirm
• reinforce
• uphold
• back
• indorse
• foster
• bolster
• heed
• cherish
• espouse
• champion
• buttress
• boost
• reenforce
• backstop

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• defect (from)
• take back
• abandon
• relinquish
• forsake
• recall
• surrender
• disagree (with)
• give up
• withdraw
• desert
• reconsider
• revoke
• spurn
• renounce
• retract
• refute
• disprove
• recant
• dispute
• deny
• negative
• abjure
• renege
• rebut
• contradict
• back down
• controvert
• negate
• back off
• repudiate
• abnegate
• disavow
• disown
• disclaim
• gainsay
• unsay
• backtrack

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

• grip
• clutch
• clench
• hold
• hold on to
• grab
• carry
• hang on to
• cradle
• take
• snap (up)
• latch (on or onto)
• trap
• handle
• capture
• hug
• snatch
• feel
• land
• grapple
• seize
• grasp
• hook
• catch
• nail
• clasp
• finger
• bag
• bear
• snare
• embrace
• corral
• paw
• nab
• collar

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• give
• hand
• drop
• turn over
• hand over
• render
• deliver
• yield
• relinquish
• release
• unclasp
• give up
• unhand
• hand out
• cede

clingy

4 of 4

adjective

as in adhesive

tending to adhere to objects upon contact

it took forever to clean up the clingy Styrofoam pellets that had been used as packing material for the lamp

Synonyms & Similar Words

• adhesive
• sticky
• adherent
• tenacious
• gummy
• tacky
• glutinous
• viscous
• gluey
• viscid
• gelatinous
• gooey
• syrupy
• ropy
• ropey
• tarry
• pitchy

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• nonviscous
• nonadhesive

Phrases Containing cling

• cling (to)