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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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)
Verb
-
The most eye-catching display, reaching upward to the conference-hall ceiling, was for Direct Bullion, a gold dealer, decorated with pictures of Farage clutching a gold coin.—
Sam Knight,
New Yorker,
21 Sep. 2025 -
Chargers athletic trainers raced from the sideline to tend to Mack, who then ran from the field clutching his left arm.—
Elliott Teaford,
Oc Register,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Herzog’s script dispenses with anything extraneous to driving the story forward, and that makes the conflict gripping, as do the invariably outstanding performances.—
Rob Hubbard,
Twin Cities,
21 Sep. 2025
-
There’s a lot of conversations to be had with townspeople and the guardians, although very little of it is gripping.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
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For now, the network is standing by its star, pointing to the strong ratings and massive online engagement as evidence of his value to the brand.—
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Sep. 2025
-
The first winters after the Accords also brought public menorah lightings for Hanukkah, with Emiratis proudly standing by, and sometimes lighting the candles, with Jewish community leaders.—
Monica Marks,
Time,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The Patriots' defense has been solid, holding opponents to under 100 rushing yards in each of their first three games, but the offense must improve to support the defense.—
Ben Verbrugge,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Sep. 2025
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This annoyed Potter, who felt holding talks in such a public place was an amateurish move.—
Roshane Thomas,
New York Times,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In the footage, a uniformed officer is seen forcibly grabbing the female passenger’s arm and yanking her towards the aisle.—
Colson Thayer,
PEOPLE,
27 Sep. 2025
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Go out there and jump and grabbing balls out of the air.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
27 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
After dismantling the lowly Tennessee Titans in Week 3, the Colts will have a tougher matchup in Week 4 on the road against the Los Angeles Rams, who had the defending champs on the ropes last week before Philly staged a late comeback.—
James Boyd,
New York Times,
24 Sep. 2025
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Most were focused on defending the state in court and protecting consumers.—
Jeremy Kohler,
ProPublica,
24 Sep. 2025
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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 29 Sep. 2025.
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