clinging (to)

verb

present participle of cling (to)
1
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for clinging (to)
  1. standing by
  2. clenching
  3. defending
  4. clutching
  5. gripping
  6. holding
  7. grabbing
Verb
  • The organizers of a plan aimed at making Pittsburgh's South Side safer are standing by their efforts.
    — Jessica Riley, CBS News, 1 Aug. 2026
  • George and Amal Clooney are standing by their French community after evacuating their home as wildfires spread across parts of Europe.
    — Charlie Carballo, USA Today, 30 July 2026
Definition of standing by
Verb
  • Janet held the phone away from her ear, clenching her teeth against Maggie’s booming voice.
    — Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 23 July 2026
  • His workouts, jaw-clenching pull-ups and all, regularly appear on social media.
    — Missy Ryan, The Atlantic, 22 July 2026
Definition of clenching
Verb
  • Today’s Four Questions interviewee is Bowdon coach Jamie Abrams, whose team is the defending Class A Division II champion.
    — Jack Leo, AJC.com, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Taiwan’s best hope, then, for deterring and defending itself from a blockade by fire would be to prepare to survive one.
    — Eugene Gholz, Foreign Affairs, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of defending
Verb
  • And undrafted guard Jaeden Roberts was carted off the field after going down and clutching his left leg during Saturday’s team drills.
    — Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2026
  • The two figures, dressed in Delft blue and white costumes and each clutching a tulip, leaned toward one another for a kiss, in the style of pottery figurines that are a staple of tourist souvenir stores throughout the Netherlands.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of clutching
Verb
  • According to researchers, because the gripping force is spread across a large contact area rather than concentrated at rigid fingertips, fragile objects are less likely to be damaged.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 29 July 2026
  • From finding the right gripping primer to applying a blurring foundation and cream eye shadow, read on for tips on how to create a natural-looking, but still long-lasting makeup look on older skin.
    — Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 27 July 2026
Definition of gripping
Verb
  • In the video circulating on social media, a young woman holding a child is shoved in the face by an officer.
    — Marvin Hurst, CBS News, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Pinching and holding both buds at the same time activates a new Audio Snapshot mode that records phone call audio or incoming sound and syncs it to the Nothing X app.
    — Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of holding
Verb
  • The popular set tends to sell quickly, so consider grabbing one while fall-favorite shades like dusty olive, terracotta, and mauve are still in stock.
    — Better Homes & Gardens, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Sophie Cunningham is grabbing the attention of women's advocacy groups.
    — Ryan Morik OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 Aug. 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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Cite this Entry

“Clinging (to).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clinging%20%28to%29. Accessed 9 Aug. 2026.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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