CLINGING (TO) Synonyms: 119 Similar and Opposite Words

clinging (to)

verb

present participle of cling (to)

as in keeping (to)

to give steadfast support to continued to cling to the old ideas of child rearing long after they had gone out of fashion

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as in clenching

to have or keep in one's hands clung to a pole in the subway car to keep from falling as it lurched along

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for clinging (to)

Verb

Teacher and counselor Ashley Williams was standing by while another employee copied the footage of Morrison berating, hitting and directing other students to assault the 13-year-old boy.

— Jennifer Smith Richards, ProPublica, 15 July 2026
Videos circulating on social media over the weekend showed residents confronting military personnel, accusing them of standing by while civilians carried out rescue operations with little official assistance.

— Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 29 June 2026

Definition of standing by

Verb

While not everyone experiences such dramatic effects, experts say stress, clenching and even past trauma can contribute to TMJ issues.

— Nicole Bennett, AJC.com, 22 May 2026
The Beloved, his first film in Competition at Cannes, is an incredible achievement that builds on all those films and leaves them standing in the dust, hitting all the same tense throat-clenching beats but somehow transcending genre altogether.

— Damon Wise, Deadline, 16 May 2026

Definition of clenching

Verb

And with Brown, VJ Edgecombe and Dean Wade on the roster, James would also be insulated from defending on the perimeter at a high volume.

— Tony Jones, New York Times, 14 July 2026
The defending champions made Kansas City their base camp for the tournament as the team began its quest to become back to back champions for the first time since Brazil in 1958 and 1962.

— PJ Green July 13, Kansas City Star, 14 July 2026

Definition of defending

Verb

Alexander, who signed a two-way deal with Utah last week, made contact with the Bulls' Caleb Wilson while driving toward the basket and, after tossing the ball toward the hoop, went behind the basket clutching his side or abdomen.

— ABC News, ABC News, 14 July 2026
The post also included a snap of the rescuing officer clutching the cat — who appeared much calmer, caught on camera mid-yawn.

— Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 13 July 2026

Definition of clutching

Verb

And while Shakira drew big cheers, as did the appearance of Bieber, these paled in comparison to the cheers and oh’s and ah’s in the crowd throughout the gripping final.

— Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 19 July 2026
The bad blood just increases from there and gets exceedingly personal as each magician tries to outdo the other in an electrifying, gripping duel that tears apart both their lives.

— Brian Truitt, USA Today, 17 July 2026

Definition of gripping

Verb

In true British fashion, Bellingham was holding a cup of barbecue beans in the photo.

— Rashad Alexander, Kansas City Star, 18 July 2026
Heading into the final weekend of the tournament, Messi led the Golden Boot race over talented players far younger, tied with France’s Kylian Mbappe at eight goals, but holding the edge with four assists to three.

— Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 18 July 2026

Definition of holding

Verb

Permethrin is a spray that works on clothing and gear to keep ticks from grabbing you, but do not put it directly on your skin!

— Amanda Roome, The Conversation, 16 July 2026
As recently as 2021, he was accused of grabbing the mother of one of his children and throwing her to the ground.

— Candace Buckner, New York Times, 16 July 2026

Definition of grabbing

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.

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clinging

clinging (to)

clings

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“Clinging (to).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clinging%20%28to%29. Accessed 20 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of clinging (to)

verb

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